Dreamers, Schemers, Makebelievers
by musicandme37
Summary: Ste makes an account on a dating site, so Brendan makes one too - a fake one. Why? Because Ste can't fall in love with someone online if the person doesn't even exist.
1. Chapter 1

Hello guys! It's been a while since my last fic here, but I'm back with more Ste/Brendan goodness!

This fic will contain POVs from numerous characters in the show and will include/mention several more, but the main focus, is of course, Stendan.  
The first few chapters will run in canon with the events of the past week's episodes.

I hope you enjoy. Got plenty more to come so any reviews will be greatly appreciated!

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own a thing.

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**Ste**

Ste grumbled loudly when his mobile phone alarm shrilled and called him back to consciousness. He lifted his heavy head from the pillow and blindly felt around his bedside table for the source of the noise. His hand hit the snooze button and he dropped his head back down with a groan. These early mornings never got any easier.

And neither did the sound of that stupid phone alarm, which went off again five minutes later. Ste didn't bother to switch it off this time, and just lay there willing himself to fall back to sleep despite the racket, and the sunlight seeping through the curtains and the sudden appearance of Leah climbing onto his bed and beginning to bounce up and down. Sadly, all these little annoyances were hard to ignore.

"Ok, ok." He groaned. He sat up dozily, catching Leah with one arm and tickling her, whilst he reached across with the other to turn off the phone altogether. "I'm up, I'm up."

Leah managed to wriggle away from his tickling and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. "Good morning Daddy."

"Hello you." Ste smiled. His daughter never failed to cheer him up, regardless of any foul mood he was in. "Why aren't you dressed yet?"

"Mummy said we could have breakfast first."

"Well come on then," Ste slipped out of bed and held out his hand to her. "Let's go and get our breakfast."

He found Amy in the kitchen, trying to tempt Lucas with a piece of toast. She looked up at him with a smile. "Hey Ste."

"Hey." He responded, letting go of Leah's hand and turning to put more bread in the toaster. "How are you this morning?"

"Good thanks. Ally's back and I've got a day off from the café so he is taking me out for lunch this afternoon." She told him excitedly. "Though I may not be back in time to pick up the kids from school, will you be able to? Please?"

"Yeah sure." Ste nodded distractedly, searching in the fridge.

"We're out of milk." Amy said, guessing what he was searching for.

Ste cursed under his breath and stood back up again. He found Amy watching him, head tilted slightly and eyes narrowed in that concerned way of hers. "How about you? Are you ok?"

"Me? I'm fine, just tired. The sooner me and Doug finish the deli the better."

Amy squeezed his arm sympathetically. "I know it's been hard work, but Ste, think how proud you'll be when you've finished it."

"I know; it's just taking a lot longer than we expected." Ste explained, taking the toast which popped out of the toaster and buttering it. "I'd better get going actually; Doug will be waiting for me." He handed the buttered toast to Leah as he headed back to his room to get changed.

Ten minutes later he was grabbing his coat and heading for the door.

"Aren't you having breakfast?" Amy called after him.

"I'll pick something up in town. See you later!"

It was always eerily quiet in the village when it was this early. The school rush hadn't started and only the odd vehicle interrupted the morning birdsong. It was a chilly morning and Ste stuffed his hands further in his pockets, breath ghosting out in front of him. He kept his head bent against the breeze and headed for the direction of his and Doug's new business premises, not having to look up, knowing the route by heart.

He regretted it though, when he collided with something or someone in his path. The first thing he saw was ridiculously polished black shoes and he knew who it would be even before the lull of a low, smug Irish voice reached his ears. "You're up early Stephen."

Ste jerked his head up and glared into the dark eyes of Brendan Brady. Ste didn't bother to reply, and attempted to side-step around the dapperly dressed Irishman, only to have his way blocked once again.

"Where are you going so early?" Brendan persisted.

Ste sighed and refused to answer or make further eye contact with his abusive ex.

"No backchat?" Brendan asked in mock astonishment. "Stephen Hay with nothing to say?"

Ste kept up his stony silence, looking over Brendan's shoulder to focus on the tree in the village square where he was supposed to be meeting Doug.

"It must be a bit too early, maybe," The Irishman continued, wanting to provoke a response, "For your brain to function and provide you with an adequate comeback."

His words annoyed Ste and it took all of Ste's strength to respond only with a hissed "Get out my way Brendan."

"Well that's not very polite." Brendan started, but was interrupted when someone called Ste's name.

They turned their heads simultaneously to look towards the tree, where Doug had arrived. The American gave Ste a quick, nervous wave but all the while his eyes darted between Brendan and Ste.

"Ah, you are meeting young Douglas." Brendan bent to breath in his ear. "How's the business going? Looks like you two are making quite slow progress. I could always get a couple of my contacts to come and fix it up in no time, my treat."

Ste felt a shiver race down his spine as Brendan's hot breath met his cold ear but he remained composed as he bit out "My business is none of your business Brendan. Leave it, me and Doug alone."

"Oh you know I can't do that Stephen. I'm only looking out for you."

"Well don't." Ste snapped. "I don't need your help for anything."

Brendan hummed, straightened up, smoothed down his jacket and sniffed loudly before saying nonchalantly "Well whenever you change your mind…"

"I won't be." Ste finalised, darting around Brendan to walk to Doug, feeling the Irishman's eyes boring into his back all the way there.

"You know, I can't take much more of this." Ste complained as he reached Doug.

"Of what?" His friend asked. "Brendan?"

Ste huffed a laugh. "Well I meant fixing up the deli but yeah, Brendan too."

"What did he say?" Doug sounded slightly anxious. Ste assumed it was because Doug was still intimidated by Brendan, even though he wasn't at Brendan's bidding anymore and hadn't done a drug job for him in ages.

Ste reckoned it was one of the reasons why he and Doug had connected so well; they had both been victims of Brendan Brady, and had both escaped his controlling hold.

"The usual." Ste shrugged, turning to look back at where Brendan had been to find the dark haired, moustached man nowhere in sight. "Trying to wind me up, offering help with the deli."

"That's all?"

Ste nodded. "And I declined his offers, as always."

Doug smiled and repeated "As always." He reached out as though to touch Ste's shoulder but retracted his hand back jerkily for a pause, before finally slapping Ste lightly on the back. "Fancy a coffee before we start the labour?" He grinned, a little more confidently, hiding whatever uncertainty that had been showing on his face a second before.

Doug had been acting oddly around Ste for a few days now and Ste wasn't at all sure why, but if Doug wasn't going to talk about it, Ste wasn't going to pry. It was only tiny things he'd noticed that had changed about Doug's behaviour and Ste wondered if he was reading too much into it. He didn't want to go and ask or accuse Doug of acting weird and create issues and tensions between them, especially when they had a business to set up and run together. So, like he did with many of his issues, Ste buried it to deal with at a later date.

"I could kill for a coffee." Ste admitted, rubbing his cold hands together. "We were out of milk this morning. I didn't eat anything either, we got time to get some food?"

Doug checked his watch. "I reckon we've got time," he decided with a smile and together they set off to College Coffee. They walked in silence for all of twenty seconds until Doug asked "So, why can't you take much more of fixing up the deli?"

"All this work and heavy lifting is doing me back in."

Doug elbowed Ste playfully. "Oh come on, old man. It's not that bad, it's just taking us a little bit longer to get done that's all."

Ste huffed, but couldn't help a tired smile. "It'll be worth it in the end though right?"

Doug nodded, smiling back. "Of course it will. Plus Riley's coming to help us out again this afternoon to escape Mitzeee and Mercedes, and probably Lynsey will turn up to help at some point too, seen as though she and Riley seem to be attached at the hip nowadays."

"Kind of like us." Ste joked, bumping his hip into Doug's with a laugh.

Ste didn't notice Doug falter, or hear the slightly put-on tint to his laugh before he replied "Yeah, pretty much."

x-H.O-x

**Doug**

During the morning the boys made slow progress, but progress none the less.

Doug tried to act as normal as possible around his friend, not wanting him to suspect something was up. To be honest, Doug wouldn't be able to answer exactly what was wrong with him even if Ste did ever ask. Doug didn't understand what he was feeling. It had started when a hug between them the week before had felt far too comfortable and made Doug feel far too happy. He still wanted to be around Ste but often made his excuses for a quick exit if he ever felt like acting on any of his new and scary feelings (Were they even feelings? He'd never felt quite like this for a boy before and it confused him more than anything) that were growing for Ste.

Doug was trapped. He didn't want to spend time with Ste for the fear that the inklings of feelings he had might develop, but he didn't want to upset Ste, because it wasn't Ste's fault Doug was acting the way he was. But when Doug spent increasing amounts of time with his friend he felt like he was betraying Bex and although he knew he should move on, he hadn't ever thought he'd find a spark of interest in a _boy_.

So, he put a brave face on it and tried to act as normal as possible. So far, it seemed to be working. Ste seemed none the wiser and they chatted and messed around and bantered just like before. But despite that, even when Ste disappeared to pick them up some lunch before Riley arrived, Doug couldn't help letting out a relieved breath and sat down heavily on a box.

That relief didn't last for long though.

"Having fun, Douglas?"

Doug's head shot up to see the dark figure in the doorway, highlighted by the sunlight filtering in behind him. Surprise, surprise as to who it was.

"Not now, Brendan." Doug said, dropping his head in his hands.

He heard the click of expensive shoes approach him but he didn't know Brendan had been right in front of him until a hand was grasping his collar and hauling him to his feet.

"I think I'm allowed to call in whenever I fancy, don't you?"

"This is not your business." Doug said, squirming from Brendan's grasp.

Brendan raised an eyebrow "Who paid for it Douglas?"

"You lent me the cash." Doug corrected, "And I'll start paying you back the minute we start making profit."

"Well that may take a long time the rate you two are going." Brendan said. "I offered Stephen a chance of me bringing in a couple of my contacts – professionals – for cheap but he refused me."

"He told me about that. We don't need any more help from you Brendan. You've done enough."

Brendan tilted his head to the side, studying Doug darkly. "You should be the nicer to the man who bought you this place."

"I told you, I'll pay you back the second we start making a profit. That was our deal."

"You didn't hold your end of that bargain. You failed to deliver that package for me."

"Yeah, and you said you'd find a way for me to hold up my end, but so far you haven't told me to do anything."

Brendan smirked. "No I haven't. Still thinking on it." He leant in so that his face was mere inches from Doug's. "I'm cooking up something _real_ good."

Doug took a wary step back. He didn't like the tone of Brendan's voice: the promise in it that suggested Doug was _not _going to like fulfilling his debt to Brendan at all. "I don't doubt it Brendan, now please will you leave before Stephen comes back?"

"You _really_ don't want him to find out about our deal, do you?"

Doug shook his head. "I never want him to find out."

Brendan grasped Doug's chin to stop his head moving and leaned in again. "Well as long as you play nice with me Douglas, he won't have to. Don't get on my bad side Dougy-boy, because I can promise you, you won't like it."

Doug wondered how much worse Brendan's bad side was if _this _was his good side. He also fleetingly wondered what Brendan would do if he ever found out about Doug's new-found attraction to Ste. Considering what happened with Noah, he knew it wouldn't go down at all well. It would be even more incentive for Brendan to turn against him and rat him out to Ste for certain. But hopefully, Brendan would never know, because Doug would not act on it and would get over whatever the hell _this thing _for Ste was. Brendan was still obsessed with meddling in Ste's life; that much was growing increasingly clear. Brendan was a complicated man on all accounts, but the fact that he still wanted Ste was undeniable. And Doug was surprised by and hated the tiny burn of jealousy he felt at that thought.

"Well, glad we cleared that up." Brendan said, finally releasing Doug's face and fixing his hair and cardigan collar for him. Doug tried not to flinch away and give Brendan the satisfaction. "See you around Douglas."

And with that, Brendan was gone.

Two minutes later, Ste replaced him at the door. "Did Brendan just leave here?"

"Yeah." Doug rubbed his cheek where Brendan's fingers had dug into it. "He just dropped in."

"Why?"

"To come and wind us up, but I said you were out and that you wouldn't want him to be here when he got back."

"And he just left when you told him to?" Ste sounded surprised.

"Well he did do his usual routine of taunting me first."

Ste narrowed his eyes. "Did he hurt you?" He was watching where Doug's hand was massaging his cheek.

"Not more than usual." Doug shrugged.

Ste had crossed the room in seven steps and pulled Doug into a hug before Doug could prevent it. "It's ok." Ste told him when he pulled away, "We've escaped him now. We don't need to be intimidated by him anymore."

Doug wished so badly that that was true. But Brendan Brady was a man that you could never truly escape from, like a spider and its web. And Doug was entangled in Brendan's web now more than ever.

x-H.O-x

**Ste**

When Ste said goodbye to Doug and Riley and started in the direction of the school to pick up Leah and Lucas, he was in high spirits. They'd made a lot of progress that day and the extra pair of hands had been a great help. Riley was willing to help the next day too after his training which meant that hopefully they'd get a lot done tomorrow as well.

A voice sounded from over his head. "Have a good evening, Stephen."

Ste glanced up at the balcony of Chez Chez to see Brendan leaning on the railings, a steaming mug of coffee in his hands. His new sidekick Joel was standing beside Brendan, smirking down at Ste as well.

Ste's walk didn't even falter and he loudly replied "Shove off Brendan." without looking back to see if his words had annoyed the Irishman and his teenage sidekick.

Ste was in a good mood, and he wasn't going to let Brendan or some Scottish brat ruin it.

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That's it for chapter 1!  
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed!  
More chapters to come so let me know what you think - any reviews would be greatly loved and appreciated!  
mnm37 x


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you to everyone who has read, followed and faved the story so far! And a special thank you to StendanUSF and shun95145 for their reviews. It is most appreciated! :)

I hope you enjoy chapter 2! :)

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**Ste**

Ste wasn't at all surprised that Amy was waiting for him in the kitchen the next day, half-glaring at him from over her glass of fruit juice.

"Well, good morning to you too." Ste said, heading to the fridge but shutting it almost instantly when he realised neither he nor Amy had bought any more milk. "Aren't Leah and Lucas up yet?"

"I'll get them up in a minute." Amy said, still looking at him pointedly.

Ste sighed. "Look, I'm really sorry for getting in the way of you and Ally yesterday."

"Getting in the way?" Amy exclaimed in disbelief. "You almost interrogated the life out of him!"

"I'm sorry!" Ste repeated. "I just wanted to make sure he was going to treat you properly. After you've been stuck with guys like me and Lee, I want you to find someone who will."

Amy huffed, but her face softened a little. "Ste, I can take care of myself. I know that Ally is a good guy, but we're only just getting started in a relationship and you interrogating him is really not helping. Just, let me get on with my own relationship, ok?"

Ste nodded, feeling slightly dejected.

Amy smiled at him sympathetically. "How about you? Any new guys on the horizon?"

Ste snorted. "No."

"Do you want one?"

"One that would treat me nice would be great. Sadly from my past experience they seem hard to find."

"Well, I don't know." Amy shrugged looking down at her drink. "Have you considered internet dating?"

Ste started. "Seriously?"

Amy shrugged again. "Why not? You don't have to actually meet up with anyone but having a flirt and getting to know someone new might be good for you."

Ste still heard the unspoken truth that Amy wanted him to find someone else to have a relationship with so that he would keep his nose out of hers, but even so, "Sounds like an ok idea to me." Ste realised.

Amy smiled properly then "I'm going to go and get the kids up, but you still owe me."

"I'll do the kids' school runs for the rest of the week?" Ste offered, hoping it would be good enough. "And I'll buy more milk?"

Ste knew Amy wouldn't be able to stay mad at him for long and sure enough she pulled him into a hug. "Deal."

...

"Sorry I'm late." Ste called as he jogged up to Doug who was waiting for him outside their work-in-progress deli. "I'm doing the kid's school run all week because I upset Amy."

"It's ok." Doug said, hopping from foot to foot to keep warm. "Family comes first yeah?"

Ste nodded in agreement and as he did spotted someone over Doug's shoulder. "Speaking of which, I've got some apologising to do, give me a minute would you?"

"I'll go in and get started." Doug offered.

"Great, see you in a minute." And Ste was racing after Ally who had been walking towards Price Slice.

x-H.O-x

**Doug**

Doug watched Ste catch up to the Australian outside the shop and start talking to him.

Even though Doug knew Ally was straight and with Amy, Ste had once fancied Ally and had hoped he was gay, and that thought had Doug's stomach twisting in slight jealously as unfamiliar feelings took hold once again.

Doug's jealousy however, was insignificant in comparison to Brendan's.

"Who is that?" Brendan's voice appearing suddenly behind Doug made the American jump and spin around.

"What?"

"Who is that?" Brendan didn't even look at Doug when he spoke to him, eyes fixed menacingly in the direction of Ste and Ally.

Doug couldn't help but see a perfect opportunity to wind Brendan up. "Why do you want to know?" He asked, turning around to face away from Brendan and towards Ally and Ste again. "You jealous?"

There was a sharp intake of breath from the man behind him "Who is he?" Brendan repeated.

"He's called Ally. He's Australian. And a soldier."

"Well," Brendan's voice was low and venomous. Doug wasn't sure Brendan was even aware how much his voice was dripping with jealousy and possessiveness. "Does this _Australian_ know Stephen well?"

"Pretty well, yeah."

Doug didn't even have to look at Brendan to know that he was fuming. He turned around anyway to find Brendan's darkened eyes and murderous expression. He felt triumphant for a moment, before he remembered he'd have to let Brendan know the truth, or else Brendan would try and get rid of Ally, just like he'd done to Noah and probably numerous others who had threatened whatever kind of relationship Brendan had had with Ste.

"Well Ste will be getting to know Ally a bit better in the future." Doug added, watching Brendan's jaw tick and shoulder's tense even more. "Ally is Amy's boyfriend."

Brendan looked down at him in surprise and Doug met him with a smirk and a cheery "See you later Brendan." Before he headed off into the deli and left Brendan glowering in the street behind him.

...

"Sorry about that." Ste told Doug when he came in to find him. "I kind of interrupted Ally and Amy's date yesterday and it's why Amy is upset with me, so I was just apologising to him."

Doug looked away from the wall he was painting to look at Ste. "So you two are good now then?"

"Yeah." Ste grinned. "Also, I meant to ask you, fancy helping me set up an account on a dating website?"

Doug nearly dropped his paintbrush. "What?"

"Well Amy said that I should try and find myself a nice, hot guy who will treat me right and said I should try a dating website. I think it's a good idea."

Doug's cheerfulness that had risen at successfully winding up Brendan quickly crashed to rock bottom, but he forced a smile anyway. "Sure. Sure, I'll help you."

x-H.O-x

**Riley**

"Riley!"

Riley turned around, attempting to suppress a groan when he heard Mercedes calling him and turned to find her walking towards him. "Hi." He said.

Mercedes smiled that sultry smile of hers. "Where's Bobby?"

"At home with Mitzeee for an hour or two." Riley said.

Mercedes' expression darkened. "What is _she _doing with him?"

"Babysitting. Because I'm helping Doug and Ste with their deli and you…" Riley looked her up and down "Were supposed to be working today so couldn't take him."

"I'm heading there now." Mercedes snapped. "I got a proper job so I could help support my son."

"Oh wow. How thoughtful of you." Riley couldn't stop his eyes rolling.

Mercedes put on a fake smile, attempting to look happy and responsible, "It is. So, are you coming swimming with me and Bobby tomorrow?"

Riley sighed. "Will Bobby actually get to go in the pool this time or are you just going to wet his hair again and pretend you went?"

Mercedes kept that smile plastered on her face but there was an angry tone to her voice when she said "Of course, but maybe if his Daddy could actually make it this time and not get occupied with other things, that would be really nice."

"I was helping out my friends!" He argued, and at his words looked at his watch, "And I have to go and help them again. Shouldn't you be at work by now?" He turned on his heel and left his ex-fiancée standing in the street.

...

"Sorry I'm late guys." Riley said as he hung up his jacket on a piece of wood by the door and sighed in relief at escaping from his responsibilities for a few hours in order to help out his friends and forget about the stresses of his life. And hopefully Lynsey might show up, which was always a bonus. "Found it hard to get away from Mitzeee and Mercedes."

Ste looked at him with a sympathetic smile. "It doesn't matter, as long as you're here. There's a spare paintbrush down there." He nodded at the paint tray on the floor.

Riley grinned and picked up a brush, coming alongside Doug and Ste and starting to paint, striking up banter and funny conversations to pass the time.

x-H.O-x

**Ste**

"Lucas! Wait!" Ste called late that afternoon as his excitable son rushed off into the park.

He had taken the kids out to play, giving Ally and Amy some time alone in the house. Ste had felt bad for ruining their previous days together and he had apologised to Ally that morning, which the Austrailian seemed to have accepted. But even so, he couldn't help feeling protective of Amy and his family. He didn't like it when people intruded and upset the balance – Lee had done it, why would Ally be any different?

Leah broke him from his thoughts when she pulled his sleeve and asked for a drink. Ste rooted around in the rucksack he'd brought with him and found her bottle of orange juice.

When he looked up, he realised Lucas was nowhere in sight. Ste scanned the entire park and felt a jolt of fear when he couldn't see his son anywhere.

"Leah?" He asked, attempting to keep calm. "Did you see where your brother went?"

Leah looked up from her bottle and shook her head.

Ste led her further into the park, beginning to feel frantic. "Lucas!" He called out. "Lucas? Luc…" He trailed off when he saw Brendan Brady appear from the trees and bushes that lined the park, carrying Lucas in his arms.

Ste was so relieved to see Lucas; he almost forgot who it was that was holding him.

"Lucas!" Ste called out thankfully, rushing forwards. "What did I tell you about running off?"

"Sorry Daddy." Lucas blubbered, tucking his little head into Brendan's neck.

"Hey, hey." Brendan soothed the three year old, stroking his light brown hair. "He must have only been gone for a matter of seconds but the little guy was very upset when he couldn't find you."

"Well, thanks, Brendan." Ste said awkwardly, taking Lucas' hand when Brendan put him down.

Brendan just sent him one of the smiles that never failed to remind Ste why he fell for the Irishman in the first place. "Don't worry about it Stephen." Brendan said, crouching down in front of Leah. "Hello sweetheart. How are you?"

Leah smiled and took Brendan's hand, leading him off to the park, chattering about school. Ste sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to let Brendan go easily and followed, keeping a tight hold of Lucas.

...

They watched the kids play, standing in silence for a few minutes. "Well thanks Brendan, for bringing Lucas back. I normally keep better control of them. He was excited." He didn't know why he felt the need to explain himself to Brendan; it was as though he needed to prove to him that he was a good dad – in control of his family life even when he couldn't properly control his love life.

"Hey, I've got two sons." Brendan reminded him. "I know what it's like."

Ste was suddenly reminded of the last time he had seen one of Brendan's sons. Ste had hidden Declan from his father, and Brendan had beaten Ste up.

With that memory now fixed in his mind, the gratefulness of Brendan finding Lucas subsided. "Thanks, but you can go now."

Brendan side-looked him. "What's wrong with you now Stephen? We've only just started having civilised conversations again."

"You can go now." Ste repeated coldly.

Brendan narrowed his eyes. "Fine. But just so you know, I'm going away for a few days to Barcelona to meet with an old friend, don't miss me too much."

"Please." Ste snorted. "It'll be nice to have you gone."

Something changed in the Irishman's eyes, but it was quickly masked by a darkened look. "Keep a better eye on your kids, Stephen."

And with that he strode off across the grass.

x-H.O-x

Ste spent the next day at home, trying to keep out of Ally and Amy's way.

Doug came over and they helped each other create accounts on a dating website.

Ste hoped that it might help him find a man who would love him and treat him right. He needed to find a man who would be entirely different to, and help him to forget, Brendan Brady.

* * *

A/N: I don't remember if Brendan has yet met Ally, or if he has, paid much attention to him, but for the sake of having a little jealous!Brendan in this chapter, we will pretend Brendan hasn't formally met, didn't care about or taken any notice of Ally up until the point he saw him talking to Ste.

I hope you enjoyed chapter 2!

Any reviews would be most appreciated!

Thank you for reading!

mnm37 x


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks again to those who have read/faved/followed/reviewed this! Most appreciated.

In this chapter...Brendan starts to meddle, as he does best!

* * *

**Ste**

Over the next few days, Doug and Ste made lots of progress on the deli, and soon it was time to get the finishing touches sorted. Lynsey and Riley were helping them that day as they painted the walls they had just shelved.

"So," Ste asked Doug quietly, even though Riley and Lynsey's teasing flirting was loud enough to drown them out, he didn't want the previous replay of the disastrous conversation about dating sites with Dennis and Leanne. "Has anyone taken an interest in you on the dating website?"

Doug nodded his head. "A few."

"And? Any lookers?"

"They…" Doug paused, stopping to get more paint on his brush. "They aren't my type."

"Ah well." Ste lightly slapped his shoulder. "Never mind. I'm sure a good one will come along eventually. But any interest is good, right? Check you out, drawing in the women."

Doug rolled his eyes. "I guess."

"It must be because of how cool I made you sound on your profile."

"Sure it is." Doug laughed. "So, how about you?"

"Yeah, a couple."

"And?" Doug pressed.

"And one of them is alright, he already wants to meet up though, and I don't know if I'm ready to meet anyone just yet."

Doug didn't seem to like the sound of that. "Well don't let him pressure you."

"He could just be keen."

"Or he could be dodgy, that's always a risk with internet dating."

"Internet _what_?" Lynsey's shrill voice had them whipping around.

Ah shit. "Err…internet dating." Ste said.

"You are internet dating?"

"Well," Ste shrugged, "I've made a profile yeah."

"How could you be so stupid?"

"Hey! Doug has one too!"

The Irishwoman turned on the American. "Doug! After everything that happened with Bex? And India! And Ste – what about Rae? How can you create profiles on a dating site?"

"We're men, though." Ste argued. The mention of Rae was like a punch to the gut. But Rae hadn't met Silas through the dating website. She had just been in the very worst place at the wrong time.

"And?" Lynsey ranted. "You think that means no-one will intend to hurt you? Ste, you of all people should know how one man can abuse another."

The mention of Brendan was like a second punch. He was left gaping. "But…"

"My granddad is a terrible human being." Riley inputted, attempting to find an excuse for his friends. "But he is a minority of a very large majority on dating websites. I know people that are in relationships and have met on dating websites."

"Don't defend them Riley!" Lynsey turned on the footballer. "Not after everything Silas put you through."

"We're sorry Lynsey." Doug said earnestly. "But as long as we don't meet anyone when we're alone, we should be fine."

Lynsey was angry; all three men could see that. They were treading on thin ice.

"They would be alright if they went together." Riley agreed, trying to ease the tension.

It didn't work. "You're not going to take down your profiles?" She asked.

Ste and Doug looked at each other before simultaneously shaking their heads.

Lynsey turned on her heel and walked towards the door. "Then don't blame me if anything happens to you."

"Lynsey!" Riley started after her.

"Don't bother Riley. I have to go home anyway; I said I'd help Cheryl with her latest project. I'll see you tomorrow or something." And then she was gone.

The boys let out a collective sigh. Doug looked to Riley. "Do you think we should take them down?"

Riley shook his head. "You've always got to be careful, but as long as you don't initially meet anyone on your own then you should be fine. I know plenty of people who met on dating sites and go on dating sites. Lynsey's just got to accept that not everyone is like my granddad."

x-H.O-x

**Brendan**

"I can't believe it!" Lynsey said out loud, bursting through the front door.

Brendan looked over from where he'd been berating Joel once again for the idiotic little stunt he pulled with the McQueen boy in the club whilst Brendan was away. Brendan had returned the day before to a whole lot of stuff to sort out thanks to the antics of Scottish Foxy and Bartholomew.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked, coming in from the kitchen to where Lynsey had thrown herself down on the sofa.

"Doug and Ste have made themselves dating website accounts! I can't believe it!" She side looked Brendan and Brendan knew she wanted to tread carefully, seen as though he had been blamed and imprisoned for the murder of three of Silas' victims: India, Bex and Rae. "Not after what happened with Silas."

"Have they now?" Brendan asked, hiding his increased interest.

"Yes. And Ste is thinking of meeting one already. It's a bad idea." Lynsey shook her head.

Brendan sat swiftly beside her and eyed Joel as he lingered nearby. "You think Ste's in danger?" He asked, keeping his voice low.

"No, it's just…" Lynsey threw up her hands in frustration. "I don't know! I just hope they're sensible about it. Ste said they can handle themselves because they're men, but they could be talking to anyone!"

"Hmm." Brendan hummed, fighting the urge to stroke his moustache as he thought. "That's true. Could be anybody."

"Like someone like Silas." Lynsey insisted.

"What dating site did Silas use?"

Lynsey looked at him in confusion. "Why?"

"Is it the same one that they are using?"

"I don't know, I didn't hang around long enough to ask. Riley probably knows by now." Lynsey's mouth dropped "What if _Riley_ makes an account?"

"I don't think Riley Costello needs to go on a dating website to find someone." Brendan pointed out. "Whilst people like Douglas, or even young Joel here, they need all the help they can get."

"Hey!" Joel protested.

Brendan ignored him and turned to the worried woman beside him. "Lynsey, why don't you go and find Cheryl, she's in College Coffee, you were going to help her with her project weren't you?"

"Oh yeah." Lynsey said shaking her head. "Sorry, just got a bit wound up."

Brendan patted her shoulder. "Understandable. We'll see you later, ok?"

Lynsey smiled. "Thanks Brendan." She leant over to peck his cheek before she got back up and left.

Brendan smirked at Joel from over the top of the sofa. "And that is why, young Foxy, people like _me_ have no need to use a dating site."

Joel snorted. "Whatever Brendan. You don't even want to pick up women anyway."

"Shut up." Brendan silenced him, picking up his phone. "Mitzeee," He said into the phone. "I need a favour. When Riley gets home, see if Doug Carter told him what dating website he has started using." Brendan paused in order to hear Mitzeee's reply. "It's none of your business why I want to know…Fine, fine, I'll tell you later at the club. Satisfied?"

When Brendan put the phone down, Joel was watching him suspiciously.

"This is about Ste isn't it?"

Brendan glared at him. "Why are you still even here? Go! Go back to the club! I've told Rhys and Mercedes to leave the toilet cleaning to you, and you will do it if you want even a chance of being trusted with a club night ever again. Understand?"

Joel opened his mouth to argue and Brendan threw a cushion at him. "I said go!" watching with satisfaction as Warren's son scarpered out of the door.

x-H.O-x

**Mitzeee**

"So," Mitzeee sat back in the chair in Brendan's office, circling a large glass of wine in her hand, "Why do you want to know about this dating website?"

Brendan, who was leaning against the wall and staring at the ceiling didn't even look at her as he said "Ann, did Riley tell you or not?"

"Yes, he did." Mitzeee said, hating it when Brendan used her real name. "And he also told me that it's not just Doug who has an account, but I suppose you already knew that." She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. "So, Brendan, why do you want to know which dating website Ste is using?"

Brendan finally broke his stare from the ceiling and looked down at her. "Why does it matter to you?"

"I asked first." Mitzeee took a sip of her wine. "I'm asking why it matters to _you?_"

Brendan didn't reply, and just watched at her in that slightly disconcerting way of his.

"Look, Brendan." Mitzeee said impatiently, "I could be doing something much more important right now than running errands for you. I've got enough on my plate already with this…" She shuddered, "Freaky stalker. I just want to know why this is so important to you."

She was fed up of doing 'favours' for Brendan, but he kept calling her on it, because he knew she thought she owed him for saving her from Warren. But she did have enough to worry about – what with her career, Riley, Bobby, her extra work at the club and this weird stalker, and having to fit favours in for Brendan Brady wasn't too high on the priority list.

"So?" She pressed.

Brendan sighed, "I want to make sure he's safe."

"Who? Ste? He can take care of himself."

"I'm aware of that." Brendan snapped. "But you know that there are people out there like Silas. People out there like…" he stopped "People like me. And Warren. And your stalker. I just want to make sure this site is legit, that's all."

Mitzeee nodded, surprised to find that she was satisfied with his reply and drank some more wine. "And why are you doing this for Ste? Because correct me if I'm wrong but haven't the two of you been over for months?"

"I just feel I owe him one, that's all."

Mitzeee nodded slowly and told Brendan the name of the site despite her wonderings as to why Brendan was actually doing this. He wasn't just doing it to be nice to Ste; he surely had an ulterior motive. Brendan was protective of those he cared about of course, but when was there ever _not _an ulterior motive when Brendan Brady was concerned?

* * *

That's it for part 3. Part 4 won't be up for a day or two, got essays to do :(  
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this part!  
Any reviews would be greatly appreciated :)  
mnm37 x


	4. Chapter 4

Back with another update :D  
Thank you to everyone who has read/faved/followed this story so far and an extra big thank you to shun95145, StendanUSF and stendanlove for their lovely reviews!  
I hope you enjoy chapter 4 :)

* * *

**Joel**

Joel headed down the stairs, trying to tidy his sleep-mussed hair with one hand. One of the steps creaked under his feet, and the second that it did, a voice carried up to him from the living room.

"Joel, think of a name."

Joel stilled, frozen on the fifth step from the bottom. He always wondered how Brendan always knew who it was approaching, and it always confused him when Brendan asked him bizarre questions from out of the blue. "What?"

"Think of a name."

Joel curiously made his way down the rest of the stairs to find Brendan sitting at the table staring at his laptop. "Aren't you supposed to be at the club?"

"Rhys is opening up and sorting the first delivery." Brendan said shortly, not even bothering to look at Joel, but the teen was used to that. "Now give me a name."

"What for?" Joel asked, his interest waning to be replaced with the priority of breakfast. He wandered into the kitchen and opened a cupboard to grab his cereal.

"It doesn't matter, just say a name."

"I don't know," Joel started pouring out cereal into a bowl before hunting for a clean spoon and the milk. "Theresa?"

He heard Brendan snort. "A boy's name! A boy's name! Honestly kid, get that girl out of your head."

Joel felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. "Jack?"

He saw Brendan shudder slightly. "Preferably the name of someone who doesn't already live in the village."

Suspicious now, Joel walked to the table, placing his bowl down and catching a glimpse of what Brendan was doing. "Are you asking me to give you a name of someone that Ste doesn't already know?"

Brendan shot him a warning glare. "Just think of a name."

"Errm...Danny?"

Brendan winced. Joel didn't know why, he didn't know of anyone in the village called Danny. Maybe Brendan had had a bad experience with someone with that name.

"No." Brendan said bluntly.

"Jamie?"

"Nah."

"Mark?"

"Dodger's real name."

Joel was surprised. "Really? Erm, what about Dale?"

"No."

"Wilbur?" Joel asked with a grin.

"You're kidding."

"Connor?"

Brendan rubbed his chin in thought, fingers scratching over his light stubble. "Not bad."

Joel looked around him for inspiration, and spotted the newspaper lying open on the table. It was on the horoscopes page because for some crazy reason Cheryl was into that kind of thing. Joel turned the page and saw an article about some kid who had won a competition. He spoke the kid's name aloud "Damien?"

Brendan looked at him, and then began to nod slowly. "I like it." And he began typing, "Damien…"

Joel ate a spoonful of cereal and chewed thoughtfully. He looked back at the newspaper and turned a few more pages, reading the surnames of the journalists. He found one that sounded quite good. "Donaghy." He said around a mouthful of cornflakes.

"Donaghy? Damien Donaghy." Brendan repeated, like he was testing the name on his tongue. "Good." Brendan grinned. "Good Irish surname, and an alliteration name – the best kind."

Joel began to roll his eyes. Of course alliteration names were **B**rendan **B**rady's favourite kind. His eyes stopped mid-roll though when Brendan surprised him by saying. "Good work Joel."

Joel couldn't help grinning proudly at the praise, but the smile dropped from his face when he remembered what this was all for. "You're joining a dating site?"

"No."

"Well what was all that about then?"

"I'm creating an account on a dating site."

Joel sighed in frustration, turning back to his cereal, which was starting to turn soggy. "That's the same thing!"

"Not at all Little Foxy." Brendan said, eyes on the screen, pronouncing every word he said in time with him tapping the keys on the keyboard. "_Joining _a dating site implies I wish to partake in the 'dating'. _Creating an account _implies that that is all I am doing, because I don't wish to…" He cleared his throat. "Flirt."

"No, you just want to stalk Ste's profile. I don't know why you still bother with the little…" He stopped immediately when Brendan shot him a dangerous, warning look.

"Choose your next word carefully kid."

Joel took a calming breath, trying to supress his anger at being bossed around and called 'kid' by the guy he was supposed to share a business with, and he tried again "If all you wanted to do was stalk Ste's profile why did you make an account?" His eyes widened as he realised. "Brendan, wait a second…"

Brendan however, finished typing with a flourish and shut the laptop. "Sent him a message."

Joel huffed loudly. "Isn't that flirting though? You said you weren't going to."

"I don't need to flirt with someone I've already been with." Brendan said. "And it's not me doing the flirting anyway; it's Damien Donaghy who has the honour of charming Stephen. It's for Stephen's own good."

"I don't think Ste will see it that way." Joel said.

Brendan narrowed his eyes, and Joel could see the transition in him. This always happened when Brendan suddenly realised he had been too nice or open with Joel. He would then shut down again, acting once again like his usual, condescending self. As expected the Irishman glared at him, standing up from the table "Isn't there somewhere you need to be?"

"Just finishing my breakfast." Joel retorted.

And suddenly there was a hand clamping down on his hair, tugging at it as Brendan swept up behind Joel's chair, his mouth next to Joel's ear as he hissed "You don't tell anyone about this Joel. Do I make myself clear?"

Joel was about to nod, but the grasp on his hair had his head pulled back too far. "Yes." He gritted out.

Obviously satisfied, Brendan let him go and patted him on the head. "Good, because if you do, you're out of this house and you're on your own. Understood?"

Joel rubbed his head angrily. "Yeah, I get it."

Actually he didn't. But he said otherwise. Because if Joel wanted to keep a roof over his head and on Brendan's good side, he knew he'd just have to go with Brendan Brady's crazy scheme and keep quiet. He watched Brendan leave whilst he pushed his mushy cereal around his bowl with a scowl.

He didn't get it. What was Brendan's obsession with Ste Hay? The guy wasn't anything special. He was skinny, wasn't rich and hated Brendan with every bone in his body.

Why would Brendan fire Ste and then secretly fund his new business? Why did Brendan care so much? Why make a fake account to flirt with Ste, when Ste wouldn't be chatting to Brendan, he'd be flirting with 'Damien Donaghy'?

All those questions running around his head eventually led him to the most important one of all: Why was Brendan still interfering with the life of a man who didn't even want Brendan in it?

It didn't make any sense to him, but he presumed that in Brendan Brady's crazy head, everything seemed perfectly logical.

x-H.O-x

**Amy**

Amy was walking by Ste's laptop when she heard it 'ding'. She had begun to learn that that noise meant that Ste had received a message from someone on his dating profile.

She sneakily peeked into the kitchen where Ste was busy making a coffee, and then nosily sat down at the laptop to see who it was.

"Ste?" She called out when she found out. "You've got another one."

Ste wandered through from the kitchen. "Keep your nose out, you." Ste said, without heat as curiosity got the better of him and he sat down saying "Another one? Really? Who is he?"

"Yes another one! They really seem to like you Ste." She teased, nudging him with her elbow. She then clicked onto the message. "Erm…his name is Damien Donaghy and there's no picture."

"What's the message say?"

"It says he is single, in his early thirties, lives in Liverpool, is gay but has kids – like you - and wondered if you'd like to chat." Amy said as she scanned the screen. "Sounds just your type Ste."

"Yeah but the lack of profile picture is a problem."

"Why?"

"Erm...well Lynsey kind of got angry with me and Doug for using dating sites."

"Why?" Amy asked again, but soon realisation dawned and she frowned "She means with what happened to India and Bex, doesn't she?"

Ste nodded. "It made me remember how risky this can be. I wanna be certain the people aren't like Silas."

"Well, ask for a picture."

"What, in the first message to him? That's a little forward in'it?"

"He'll understand." Amy insisted. "If he's a genuine, nice guy, he won't mind."

"I guess."

They sat in silence for a minute or two whilst Amy waited for Ste to make his mind up.

"Ok, I'll ask him." Ste decided finally. "Budge over."

Amy complied and shifted up the sofa a bit further whilst Ste placed himself in front of the laptop and began to type.

After Ste mentioning Silas, Amy had a little weight of doubt settle on her. She hadn't even thought about it when she'd suggested making a dating profile to Ste. Anyone could be out there on a dating site, pretending to be someone else, but then there were also decent, genuine people looking for love. As long as Ste was careful, she was sure he'd be fine.

"You will be careful with this, won't you Ste?" She just had to confirm.

Ste nodded distractedly as he typed. "Don't worry Amy, there is no way I'm gunna talk to and meet up with a guy who seems in any way weird or suspicious."

x-H.O-x

**Brendan**

Brendan looked down at his laptop as a little message icon popped up.

Ste had replied.

Brendan grinned.

* * *

That's all for chapter 4! I will hopefully update again at some point over the weekend.  
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed!  
Any reviews would be most appreciated!  
mnm37 x


	5. Chapter 5

Apologies for the huge wait for this update. I have had exams but they are over now! Yey! I'm hopefully going to get at least another chapter done over the weekend.

I'm a tad behind on the chapters as I'm trying to keep the story fairly close to the events in the show, so this chapter is taking place before Walker's arrival/Joel's stabbing/Doug's first admittance to liking Ste. That will mostly be covered in the next chapter.

Thank you to everyone who has read and faved the story so far! Also a huge thanks to StendanUSF, shun95145, stendanlove, Soggy-Teabag, tashiihalsey, Chan The Lamb and thefallenangelme for their lovely reviews! :)

I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: Hollyoaks and it's characters are not mine!

* * *

**Ste**

The moment the deli was opened and business got underway, things started to change.

Ste had even less time to himself and when he was free, the time was primarily devoted to his kids.

He gained more independence and the confidence in knowing that he could actually do this, that he had made something for his own, that he really could achieve something good for himself and be happy. That he didn't need people like Brendan Brady to make him happy. He didn't need people like Brendan Brady to knock his confidence and knock him about and drag him down.

Of course, it wasn't just he who had escaped from Brendan and made this business happen. Doug was a big part of that. But he was starting to change too.

Doug was acting increasingly oddly and Ste had no idea what was wrong with him. Doug had even sabotaged Ste's date with Adam – the first person Ste had plucked up the courage to meet from the dating site.

He was just glad, that when he had a spare minute that he could go online and tell his new friend Damien about his troubles. Or else bottling up all the confusion would have truly infuriated him by now.

Damien had made it clear from the start that he wasn't going to pressure Ste to meet him, and had just wanted to make friends in similar situations to him – recently come out as gay and had kids. Damien was really good to talk to and although neither gave too much about themselves away for safety reasons – it was still hard to know who to trust on these sites – Ste found himself opening up more and more to his new friend and asking for his advice.

When he got home he found a new message on the computer.

_**Damien Donaghy: Hello Ste, how did the date with Adam go?**_

Ste smiled and let out the frustrated breath he had been holding in the whole time Doug had interfered with his date and wrote back,

_**Ste Hay: Not so great. This friend of mine wouldn't leave us alone for a second. I don't think my friend likes Adam.**_

x-H.O-x

**Brendan**

Brendan had been waiting for Ste's reply about Adam for a while. Even though it was torture to keep up the appearance of 'Damien' - the ear for Ste to vent to, and the friend to give him advice, Brendan loathed the fact that some other man was getting to meet his Stephen.

Brendan wanted to keep Ste away from everyone, where no-one could touch, hurt or win the heart of his boy. Brendan had looked up Adam on the site the moment Ste said that he had decided to meet with someone and Brendan immediately hated the kid. He wasn't worthy of Ste's love, and by god, Stephen had better not take a liking to this guy. Though Brendan was pretty sure that by keeping tabs on Ste's love life this way, if anyone ever became a serious threat, he would be able to jump in with his charm and win Stephen back over. Or at least that was what he hoped, because no matter how many times Ste said it was over and then came back; there was always the gamble of that slight chance that for once Ste might actually mean it.

And the fact that Ste was creating this new life and business and friendships gave Brendan the impression that Ste was finally serious about moving on. Brendan wasn't having that.

Ste's reply made Brendan smile.

_**Ste Hay: Not so great. This friend of mine wouldn't leave us alone for a second. I don't think my friend likes Adam.**_

Well that response was far better than Brendan expected.

_**Damien Donaghy: That's a shame. Is this the friend you own your business with? Why doesn't he like Adam?**_

What was Doug's problem? Why had he interfered with Ste's date?

_**Ste Hay: Yeah that friend. I have no idea what's up with him. He's been acting kind of weird lately. I don't know why.**_

Brendan didn't know either. He'd have to do some prying and find out.

_**Damien Donaghy: You going to see Adam again?**_

Say no. Say no. Say no.

_**Ste Hay: Maybe. If I do though it will be without my friend :P**_

Brendan sighed and sat back, running a hand through his hair. Ste was still interested in this Adam then. Brendan had let Ste get too comfortable in thinking he had moved on from Brendan. Maybe he should give Ste a visit soon to remind the lad that he would always be Brendan's. Brendan didn't think he would ever handle the sickening punch to the gut he felt when Ste was ever with someone else, and the punches came harder the longer that Ste remained out of Brendan's bed. Noah had been easy to get rid of, but someone now? Brendan wasn't so sure, and he hated the feeling that he may have lost control.

_**Ste Hay: Enough about me. How are you?**_

_**Damien Donaghy: Good I guess.**_

_**Ste Hay: What's up?**_

_**Damien Donaghy: There was someone I was really close to once, but recently we've been growing further and further apart. But I can't imagine my life without him.**_

_**Ste Hay: I know that feeling. But maybe that's what's supposed to happen. Maybe you'll meet someone new. **_

What, like Ste had? No way. Brendan had meant what he said to Stephen all those months ago, before Brendan had predictably screwed up everything. Every day until he was in his grave, Stephen was always, always, going to be in his head. He didn't know what it was, but there was something about Ste and right now Brendan was suffering withdrawal from his addiction. He knew that Ste had once felt that way, and maybe still did a tiny bit, and both of them always would. So it angered Brendan that that had been Ste's answer: to stay apart and find someone new.

But then Ste came through and the addition to his reply returned some hope:

_**Ste Hay: But if you don't want it to happen, do something about it.**_

Oh, Brendan intended to.

x-H.O-x

**Amy**

"Who are you chattering to?" Amy asked from where she was playing with Leah and Lucas on the living room floor.

Ste looked at her over the top of his laptop, which was precariously balanced on his knee.

"Are you talking to Adam?" She encouraged.

"No, Damien."

"Have you been talking to him much?" She asked. Ste had been so busy recently she had hardly had chance to talk to him about the dating site.

"Yeah we get on really well."

"Then why don't you meet up with him? If the Adam thing didn't go so well…"

"Yeah but that was Doug's fault. Anyway, Damien is just a friend; he isn't even bothered about meeting up. He's good to talk to."

Amy smiled. "That's good Ste, you might have actually found something worthwhile on the site if you've found a friend."

Ste smiled and tapped back another message, presumably to Damien.

"So, did you ever find out what Damien looks like?"

"Yeah." Ste smiled wider. "He sent a picture. He ain't bad looking."

"Well? What's he look like?"

"Tall but not too skinny, dark hair…look…" He spun the laptop around.

Amy crawled closer to the laptop for a proper look at the picture.

"When I first saw him, I thought he looked, I dunno…familiar." Ste said. "What do you think?"

"Well he's good looking." Amy replied. "But I've never seen him before. Maybe he just has one of those faces."

"Yeah." Ste nodded. "That's what I thought." He turned the laptop back towards him and Amy knew he'd lost interest in the conversation as he started typing again. He did add, however, "I like him though."

Amy smiled to herself and then focused back on the kids. She was glad Ste had found a genuine friend on the site, and maybe, if the Adam thing didn't work out, well maybe Ste might have found someone even better in Damien.

x-H.O-x

**Joel**

"How are things going with the Ste?" Joel asked flopping down beside Brendan on the sofa.

Brendan snapped the laptop shut before Joel could get a good look at the screen. "What do you want?"

"The dating site plot?" Joel persisted curiously. "Ste? How's it going?"

Joel followed Brendan's glance over his shoulder to where Lynsey was making dinner in the kitchen. Joel was then hit full force by the angry Brady glare. "Keep your voice down will you?"

"Sorry." Joel lowered his voice as commanded. "So?"

"It's none of your business."

"Well I could always tell Cheryl what you've been up to…" Joel attempted airily. It was a low and cheap blow, but bringing Cheryl into it worked pretty much every time. Although it angered Brendan immensely whenever Cheryl was used for any form of blackmail, it did work every time, because if there was one thing Brendan couldn't stand, it was his sister being upset with him.

"Fine." Brendan snapped, as Joel had predicted he would. "It's going fine."

"And he doesn't even suspect that Damien Donaghy doesn't even exist?" He pressed now that he had gotten Brendan talking.

"I'm good at what I do Scottish Foxy. You of all people should know that by now."

"Is he _that_ naïve and trusting?" Surely Ste wasn't _that_ much of an idiot?

"Says you." Brendan snorted and Joel scowled in response. "Of course he wasn't." Brendan continued. "Ste's a bright lad, he isn't stupid. He asked for a picture straight away when I hadn't put one on the profile."

"And what picture did you use?" Joel asked.

"One of my cousin Colin." Brendan replied, seemingly honest. "Colin lives over in Ireland and is married. He's about my age and looks a bit like me, I guess. Dark hair, some of the Brady features…"

"Minus the tash though?"

Brendan's mouth quirked into a smile. "Yeah, his wife was never big on the facial hair. More fool her."

Joel opened his mouth to ask another question, but the moment seemed to be broken when Brendan sent him a look that told him that he was done with Joel's prying. The conversation effectively over, Joel sighed and went to see what Lynsey was making for dinner.

* * *

That's all for this chapter!  
I hope you enjoyed!  
Thank you for reading and any reviews would be highly loved and appreciated :)  
mnm37 x


	6. Chapter 6

Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter! In this chapter I begin to branch off from the events of the show. This is how Brendan Brady gets his Ste back, my way ;)

Thank you to everyone who has read and faved the story so far! Also a huge thanks to StendanUSF, shun95145, stendanlove, Soggy-Teabag, tashiihalsey, Chan The Lamb and thefallenangelme for their lovely reviews! :)

I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Hollyoaks!

* * *

**  
Ste**

Ste had figured out that Doug was acting weird because of him. He just didn't know what he had said or done to make it happen. He hadn't anticipated in a million years that it was because Doug _wanted _him.

The first kiss came as a surprise. The next few were less surprising and more…nice.

But Ste wasn't willing to be yet another closet-case's secret. Look what had happened the last time he had allowed that to happen. And Doug hadn't yet truly decided who he was and what he wanted to do about it, so Ste told him that unless Doug made a firm decision and accepted himself, Ste was having nothing to do with it.

He didn't think, of course, that Doug would just stop turning up at work altogether.

And after a week of working and running the business and having to hire and fire Barney all on his own, Ste began wondering whether he even wanted Doug to come out or be with him at all. Because Doug, well he seemed more content to go clubbing with Texas and Leanne than anything else. Doug obviously preferred hanging out with them than helping Ste to run their business.

And what made it worse for Ste was that Brendan kept popping in to keep an eye on him, and god, wasn't that just adding fuel to the fire. If Ste had been confused before, Brendan's renewed interest in him seemingly had come out of nowhere.

x-H.O-x

**Brendan**

Brendan had been having a truly terrible couple of weeks. Sure he had previously faced Warren, Danny, prison, being beaten over the head with a bat by Stephen…hell, he had even lived through the wraths of Eileen and Cheryl on numerous occasions and come out of it well enough. But this, this was different.

This was Walker.

Why he had decided to pay Brendan, of all people, a visit, Brendan didn't know. What Walker's true intentions were, Brendan had even less idea. At least he'd had some clue as to what Warren and Danny had ultimately been after. Walker was rather a mystery to him. And Brendan didn't like that. He didn't want Walker to stay. He didn't want to owe him anything. He didn't want to see that face and be reminded of prison, of the beatings, of the fact that he was often such a state in prison that he had let himself rely a little on people like Walker.

He didn't trust Walker on the outside – on the opposite side of the bars.

And then Brendan's doubts were only confirmed when Joel was stabbed.

And then came the guilt, Cheryl's anger and the payback to the bastards that had hurt the kid. Walker's eventual disappearance didn't offer any comfort to Brendan whatsoever, because Brendan had the sense of foreboding that told him Walker wasn't finished with him, or Hollyoaks, just yet.

The second bad week was quieter, sure: Joel was recovering, Cheryl was less mad at him, Lynsey was still trying to sort out Mercedes after the reports that Silas wasn't going to prison after being declared mentally unstable.

And Brendan, who had had no time whatsoever to log onto the dating site, had not spoken to Ste in ages. But when he did manage to get online, the kid hadn't even left a message. Cheryl had then dropped the bombshell that Ste had a new man, and Brendan didn't like the sound of _that _one bit.

Who was this new guy? Not that Adam, surely? Did Ste really think that he was allowed to move on? That Brendan would allow him to do such a thing?

So Brendan had decided to pay Stephen a few visits. Turned out Douglas had buggered off or something, and Ste had been left all alone to run the business. So maybe it wasn't that there was a new bloke, Brendan had convinced himself. Maybe Ste hadn't lost interest in 'Damien' and he had simply been too busy.

That thought had comforted Brendan slightly, until the day that he saw why Doug had been hiding, why Cheryl had been positive Ste had a new man, that Adam was well out of the picture and why Ste had also not signed onto the dating site in a while.

Brendan saw Doug kissing Ste.

And it finally hit Brendan that he was losing control. Not just of this, but of everything.

And Brendan needed to get it back. He needed to get all of his power and control back. He needed to sort out Walker if he ever returned. But most importantly, he needed to get Ste back.

x-H.O-x

**Ste**

Ste came out of the McQueen's Jubilee party with a smile on his face. He and Doug were official, and it felt amazing. Finally he had someone that cared for him and that would come out and face the world by his side. He walked Doug back to the deli and gave him a kiss before turning to head for home.

But that was when he spotted Brendan.

Brendan was sitting by the fountain in the village square, staring down at his lap, looking gloomier than Ste had possibly ever seen him. Ste glanced over his shoulder to see if Doug was still there. The American had already gone. Ste then looked back at his ex. After a moment of feeling torn as to whether to walk away and leave the Irishman alone, or go and see what was wrong with him, Ste walked purposefully towards Brendan. He was with Doug now, so he felt that he should be confident in himself enough to be able to talk to and be civil with his ex.

Brendan didn't even notice him until Ste was standing right in front of him. Ste cleared his throat and the Irishman looked up. Unfortunately Ste hadn't thought it all through quite thoroughly and the first thing Brendan's eyes met directly was Ste's crotch. Ste reddened and shuffled sideways as Brendan's eyes slowly rose to meet his.

"Stephen." Brendan said, his voice not holding its usual seductive and arrogant gusto. "What can I do you for?"

"I just…wondered what was up…I guess." Ste replied awkwardly.

"Oh." Brendan said, looking back down at his lap, which Ste now saw had a newspaper balanced on it. "Just a bit of bad news."

Ste craned his neck a little to see the newspaper better from where he was standing. It had been a week since Silas Blisset had once again hit the headlines of Hollyoaks. Ste knew how much the news that Silas wasn't going to serve time in prison due to being declared mentally unstable had affected many people in Hollyoaks: Mercedes, Lynsey, Riley, Doug, Texas and not to mention Ste himself. But he hadn't even spared a thought about how Brendan, the man who had spent months in prison accused of the murders Silas had committed, was feeling about all this. Ste wondered if anyone else had thought about how Brendan felt about it. Maybe no-one had thought how Brendan, the tough, invincible Irishman might have just been putting on a brave face for the past week. Maybe Brendan had been more affected than he let on, by memories of prison and the anger that Silas was not going to have to go through everything Brendan had. Silas didn't have to experience life behind cold metal bars.

"Are you ok?" Ste asked.

Brendan glanced up again from the paper with one of his short and self-assured smiles, but Ste could see how unconvincing even that was. "I'm fine Stephen. Aren't I always?"

Ste stuffed his hands in his pockets and shuffled his feet. "You can always tell the truth you know. Silas not getting what he deserved has upset everybody, so you don't have to pretend you aren't upset too."

Ste watched Brendan's fists clench. "I'm more angry than upset, to be honest Stephen." But his voice wavered, and no matter how much Brendan had made Ste cry in the past, Ste could never really stand seeing Brendan sad, not that he'd ever let Brendan know that of course. So as Ste sat himself down close to Brendan's side, he decided that this time was an exception.

"You don't have to lock it all up." Ste insisted. When Brendan locked things away for too long, it would all come out eventually, usually all at once in a terrifying explosion and nobody wanted that. Ste knew that better than anybody. "You can talk to somebody about it for once."

Brendan snorted bitterly. "Oh really? And who am I supposed to talk to? Lynsey lived through a year of torment from that bastard, Joel is in hospital and he wasn't even around when Silas was, Chez will try to mother me and…" Brendan made that familiar little sigh of annoyance, rubbing a hand across his mouth, "And I can't stand that. So who do you suggest I 'open up to'?"

"You can talk to me?"

Brendan huffed a second bitter laugh. "You won't give me the time of day Stephen."

"I would have given you all the time of any day, once." Ste was shocked to find himself admitting. Anything to crack that stone walled shell Brendan had built around himself. "But that was before. And it was your fault that it changed."

Brendan opened his mouth to say something, eyes wide, just as surprised by Ste's words as Ste. But Ste thundered on before Brendan would say anything to make Ste change his mind about this moment of friendliness that he was trying to give his ex.

"Though it's important you talk about this if you want, and if you have no-one else, then I'm here." Ste gave Brendan a small smile, quickly meeting calculating eyes before standing back up. "Bye Brendan." And he turned round to head in the direction of home.

He didn't look back around, but his step did falter, when a soft Irish voice followed him. "Thank you, Stephen."

Well, it seemed today was full of surprises.

x-H.O-x

**Doug**

The incessant knocking on the flat door had Texas, Leanne and Dennis turning round from their spot on the sofa. "Doug?" Texas asked. "Who the hell is that?"

Doug, who was closest to the door, emptying more packets of crisps into a bowl for their Jubilee film night, shrugged at his friends and went to answer the door.

"Maybe it's Riley?" Leanne asked.

"Doesn't sound like Rile..." Doug opened the door and came face to moustached-face with Brendan Brady.

"Douglas. Happy Jubilee and the such like." Brendan stuck his head around the door to peer intrusively into Doug's home, though to be honest; Doug was surprised Brendan hadn't just barged all the way inside as per usual. "Evening ladies, and…little man." Brendan addressed Texas, Leanne and Dennis, before his cold eyes switched back to Doug. "Do you folks mind if I borrow Douglas here, for a moment or two?"

"We are watching a film." Texas said shortly, eyes narrowing.

Doug could see Brendan was already losing patience as he leant further into Doug's personal space. "Douglas won't mind missing a few minutes. You don't mind do you Douglas?"

Doug turned warily from Brendan to look at his flatmates. "I'll be back in a minute."

"But Doug…" Leanne and Texas started simultaneously.

"Only a minute." Doug repeated, before turning to follow Brendan outside. "What is it Brendan?" He asked the moment the door closed.

Brendan leant against the wall, arms crossed. "So, Doug, you and Stephen are 'an item' now?"

Doug nearly choked in shock in his speed to deny it. Brendan couldn't know. How did Brendan know? "We aren't!"

Brendan chuckled darkly. "So you kissing him is an act of friendship is it? Or is this some new thing that business partners do? Because I've not heard of business partners doing that before, and to be quite honest, puckering up with my Scottish business partner isn't anywhere near as appealing as yours. And regardless of whatever Stephen is to you – friend, business partner, _boy_friend – well I don't think he'd be too pleased to learn that the business that you 'partner' in, isn't _actually _owned by _either _of you. Funny little world isn't it Douglas?"

Doug was trapped, he knew it and worst of all Brendan knew it. "Brendan you promised you wouldn't say anything to Ste and that you just wanted to see him happy. Well he _is_ happy."

"What, with you?" Brendan sneered with a curl of his lip.

"Yes."

"Well I'm not so sure he will be happy to be with a liar."

"And you're not a liar?" Doug retorted angrily.

"We both are." Brendan shrugged, "But I'm the one pulling the strings. You have something I want and I have something you want. The problem for you is that I can very easily get the thing you have too. See there's only one winner here Douglas. Do you know who that is?"

Doug felt a crushing despair and fear descend on him. He knew this day would come eventually. Brendan would tell Ste about the money behind the deli and Ste would never trust Doug again. It would be the end of them before they had barely begun.

"It's me." Brendan said when Doug didn't reply. "I win." Brendan leant right up into Doug's face this time, mint-smelling breath filling Doug's nostrils. "I always win Douglas." Brendan patted Doug hard on the cheek before he sniffed loudly and straightened up. "Anyway, I have work to do and you need to enjoy your evening whilst you still can, because who knows? I might bump into Stephen on the way to the club." Brendan grinned that wide, toothy, cocky grin and spun around to leave. "I'll see you round Douglas." Brendan's voice carried to Doug up the stairs. He sounded arrogant, and Doug knew all too well that Brendan was going to tell Stephen everything, unless Doug got there first.

Doug dithered by the door, worrying about how the hell he was supposed to tell Ste everything and not lose him, until Dennis opened the door to find out where he was.

"Doug? Where's Crazy Brady?"

Doug turned round and forced a smile. "Gone, thank god."

"Then what you standing out here for?" Dennis asked. "Come on, film's still on and the girls are eating all the crisps without us!"

Doug followed Dennis into the flat, shutting the door with a sigh.

There was no way out of this. He had to tell Ste. Doug would be damned if it was Brendan who was going to tell Ste. Ste would hate Doug all the more for not being the one to tell him. And maybe, just maybe, Doug could soften the blow if he told Ste before Brendan could. But then again, how the hell was he going to _soften the blow _of Ste finding out their business was £80,000 in debt to Brendan Brady – the one person Ste had refused to let help. The one person Doug had foolishly made this whole sorry deal with.

He had no choice. Ste had to be told. It was always going to be something that Ste would one day find out. That much had been inevitable. And Doug was realising now more than ever that it had been out of Doug's control from the start: he'd never had a choice in this. He'd never had a chance against Brendan Brady.

* * *

That's the end of chapter 6. In the next chapter...more messages between Ste and 'Damien' :D  
I hope you enjoyed!  
Thank you for reading!  
Any reviews would be greatly loved and appreciated!  
mnm37 x


	7. Chapter 7

Back with a new chapter! Hope you enjoy!

Thank you to everyone who was read/followed/faved the story so far, you guys are awesome! A big thanks also to StendanUSF, shun95145, stendanlove, Soggy-Teabag, tashiihalsey, Chan The Lamb and thefallenangelme for their lovely reviews! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Hollyoaks!

* * *

**Brendan**

"What are you so happy about?" Cheryl asked the moment she walked through the front door, because she'd spotted Brendan's smile and was eyeing it suspiciously.

"Nothing." Brendan said, struggling to wipe the evidence of his good mood off his face, which was an oddity in itself, as Brendan preferred to frown than smile most of the time.

"Oh really?" Cheryl enquired, hanging her coat up by the door and walking behind Brendan and into the kitchen. "It has nothing to do with the fact that Ste and Doug broke up yesterday is it?"

"Huh?" Brendan pretended not to have heard, drawing his eyes from the computer. "Who broke up with who?"

"Like you don't know." Cheryl scoffed, pulling two mugs out of a cupboard. "Want a cup of tea?"

"I didn't know anything." Brendan protested. "And yeah I'll have one if you are."

"So you didn't have anything to do with their break up?"

"Chez, I didn't even know they'd broken up. Did Stephen tell you? Is he ok?"

"I haven't seen either of them. Lynsey and Riley popped into the club earlier – those two are official now you know – and Lynsey said that they'd cancelled their plans for tonight because Riley had to go and check in on Doug because he and Ste had broken up. So me and Lynsey are going out tonight."

"Riley Costello." Brendan said. "Is he good enough for Lyns?"

"Don't change the subject!" Cheryl scolded. "You honestly had no idea about Ste and Doug breaking up?"

"Not a clue."

"And you had no part to play in it?"

Brendan shrugged, trying to appear unaware and nonchalant. "Not that I know of, unless Stephen still has feelings for me."

His acting must have worked as Brendan watched Cheryl roll her eyes and she replied "It's probably all that interfering you did this week."

"Chez! It wasn't interfering! I was just checking up on him."

Cheryl snorted a laugh as she placed a mug of tea on the table beside Brendan and sat down opposite him. "_Sure _you were." She was watching him closely again. "If I find out you have done something…"

"I haven't done anything in ages!"

Cheryl hummed doubtfully and sipped her tea. "If you say so."

"Thanks for the tea." Brendan said.

"You're welcome."

Brendan then lowered his eyes to the screen in front of him, forcing down his returning smile as he clicked off the club order sheet and onto what had put him in such a good mood earlier. He had a new message on the dating site.

_**Ste Hay: Hey Damien. Sorry I haven't sent you a message in a while**_

Actually, Brendan had gotten it the previous day, but hadn't replied yet. He had read it over a few times, but didn't want 'Damien' to seem too eager by replying straight away, so he had left that until today. After he had had his little chat with Doug two days ago he knew that Doug and Ste splitting up had been a large possibility, but what Cheryl had told him had been his confirmation, the dating site message merely his first inclination that Doug and Ste were over.

_**Damien Donaghy: Hello. Its ok, I've haven't been on in a while either – family and work issues etc.**_

What with the Cheryl, Joel and Walker issues he'd had the past few weeks, he thought that 'family and work issues' was a half-truth at least.

"What are you doing?" Cheryl asked, trying to peer over the top of the laptop.

"Club order sheets." Brendan replied. "Speaking of, I should be getting back there."

Cheryl glanced at the clock, "Maybe you should; Joel shouldn't be working so much so soon after getting out of hospital."

"Are you not working at all today?"

"I'm meeting with Nancy this afternoon." Cheryl said exasperatedly. "I did tell you."

"Oh right well have fun Sis." Brendan shut the laptop and stood up to leave.

"Brendan…" Cheryl said, Brendan could feel her eyes on him as he put on his jacket. "I hope you haven't lied to me, about Ste and Doug."

Brendan turned to smile at her. "Don't fret so much Sis. They obviously weren't 'meant to be'."

"Uh-huh. See you later."

"See you Chez."

x-H.O-x

**Cheryl**

Cheryl was walking towards The Dog to meet Nancy, when she spotted Ste sitting at one of the tables outside the pub. Darren was standing beside him, passing Ste a mug.

"Hey Darren," Cheryl asked. "Is Nancy around?"

"She's getting changed. I'll go and find her now. Why don't you wait here…" He motioned to a miserable-looking Ste with his eyes, implying she should speak to him, "You won't want to go in; the builders are making a mess in there."

"Sure." She smiled cheerfully, sending Darren a wink out of Ste's eye-line and sitting down opposite her ex-employee.

Darren squeezed Ste's shoulder. "See you mate,"

"Thanks for the coffee mate." Ste said with a little smile, but still sounding glum.

"No problem."

The moment Darren disappeared back inside the pub though, Ste's sad eyes turned cold as they fixed on Cheryl. "Did you know?"

"Know what?" She asked, bewildered.

"About Brendan."

Cheryl frowned. She just _knew _her brother had something to do with this. "What's he done now?"

"Oh nothing…just put me in £80,000 debt to him." He snapped sarcastically. "Don't tell me you didn't know that he gave Doug the money for the deli."

Cheryl's mouth dropped open in surprise, and when Ste saw her expression, he seemed to soften slightly. "You didn't know?"

"Jesus." Cheryl said quietly, shaking her head in slow disbelief and shock. "I have no idea of what Brendan is capable of anymore." She reached across to close her hands around one of Ste's. "Oh pet, I'm so sorry." His hand was freezing; he'd obviously been sitting outside for some time, which is probably why Darren had taken pity on him.

"Yeah well, I guess this just proves I'm better off without either of them."

"This is why you broke up with Doug?" Cheryl realised.

"Yeah." Ste took a sullen sip from the coffee Darren had given him. "I can't trust him Chez. Brendan was the one person I told Doug I never wanted to be indebted to, and he went and did it anyway and then kept it from me and as for Brendan…well I'll never escape him, and now I owe him."

"I can't believe this." Cheryl felt that familiar building of angry disappointment – a feeling she was experiencing increasingly about her brother – bubbling inside her. He'd said he'd had nothing to do with it. "He promised me he hadn't interfered. That he hadn't done anything."

"It's Brendan, Chez." Ste said bluntly. "Don't trust a word he says." He slipped his hand out of hers. "Or Doug for that matter, apparently." He stood up, leaving Cheryl and the empty mug at the table. "See you later, thank Darren again for the coffee for me." And then he was trudging away, hands stuffed in his pockets.

x-H.O-x

**Brendan**

Brendan was relatively content. He was having a quiet evening and had the place to himself. Lynsey was over at Riley's, Joel was out with Theresa and Chez wouldn't be back for a few more hours, he expected.

He had been talking to Ste online for an hour or so. When he had gotten home, 'Damien's' last message had been replied to:

_**Ste Hay: its ok I understand all too well about work issues**_

Brendan had replied immediately this time, rather than waiting.

_**Damien Donaghy: Something wrong with the business?**_

_**Ste Hay: That and the guy I run it with**_

_**Damien Donaghy: Why? What's up with your friend?**_

_**Ste Hay: He's not my friend anymore and he's now my ex**_

_**Damien Donaghy: Wow, a lot has happened since we last talked.**_

_**Ste Hay: Tell me about it**_

There had been a slight pause before Ste had posted again.

_**Ste Hay: I have the worst luck with exes ever**_

_**Damien Donaghy: Really? Like what?  
Damien Donaghy: You don't have to talk to me about it if you don't want to though.**_

This wasn't just Brendan prying, he honestly found that talking to Ste under the disguise of 'Damien' meant that Ste opened up to him about things Ste would never ever talk to him about in real life. He hated it, but he often found himself wishing that Ste was able to talk to him as openly as he did 'Damien' - as openly and honestly as Ste had done when they'd first been together. That had only been a couple of years ago, but it felt like a lifetime ago. If this was the only way Brendan could find out Ste's true thoughts and feelings then he was going to keep up this persona of 'Damien' as long as he could.

_**Ste Hay: You'll be bored of me ranting  
**_

_**Damien Donaghy: If you want to talk about anything at all, you know I'm here. Besides, I have my own list of exes from hell. One of them stalked me for a while.**_

And, apparently, it helped Brendan to open up about things too. It was much easier to type something to someone, rather than say it. You didn't have to see the reaction, or be judged by someone you couldn't see. Plus, of course, it helped that the someone you were talking to thought you were someone else completely. But he wasn't exactly lying to Ste about this thing; Macca did follow him all the way to England after all.

_**Ste Hay: I'm beginning to know what that's like**_

_**Damien Donaghy: What, being stalked?**_

_**Ste Hay: Yeah, by an ex. It's a long story  
**_

_**Damien Donaghy: I have time to hear it, if you want to tell it.  
**_

_**Ste Hay: If you're sure...well I'll start from the beginning I guess. I have five proper exes. The 1st is the mother of me kids and we're still best friends, but stuff went wrong when we were a couple**_

Ste hadn't mentioned much about Amy yet in their online conversations, though obviously he had told 'Damien' he had two kids with her. He wondered if 'Damien' would be able to get anything about Ste's past out of Ste, because Brendan suddenly realised that whilst Ste knew bits and pieces of Brendan's past, Brendan didn't know all that much about Ste's life before juvie.

_**Damien Donaghy: What happened?**_

_**Ste Hay: You don't wanna know, you'll hate me**_

_**Damien Donaghy: I'm not here to judge remember? I'm just a friend you can talk to. Promise.**_

_**Ste Hay: I used to hit her, I hate myself for it and I'll never forgive myself. I got help though**_

_**Damien Donaghy: Well you must have made a huge change, if she's still your best friend.**_

_**Ste Hay: I wish everyone could change like I did, but I'm not so sure everyone can.**_

Well that was like a personal punch to the gut.

_**Damien Donaghy: Speaking from experience?**_

Well, that was surprisingly painful to type.

_**Ste Hay: Yes. My 3rd ex, my first boyfriend, he hit me**_

The third ex. Him. 'Damien' didn't ask about the second ex, that Ste had missed out. Brendan knew who that was. It was Rae. Murdered by Silas. A murder which Brendan had been wrongly accused of and had spent time in prison for. Yeah, Brendan knew all too well what had happened to Ste's second ex.

He paused for a moment, long fingers hovering over the keys of the laptop. And what exactly, was he supposed to reply to that? A comment about his violence towards Ste? It was what had driven Ste from him, it was something Brendan regretted more than anything and although he hadn't hit Ste since the time Declan last visited, it had been Brendan's constant game-playing that had kept Ste away.

But then, he didn't need to reply, because Ste wrote something else. Something which made Brendan start back from the screen in surprise.

_**Ste Hay: And my step-dad, he did too**_

Brendan sat in shock, just staring at the screen. Ste had never mentioned it. Not even when Brendan had told him about his own dad, sitting outside the police station that time, trying to talk Ste out of turning him in for hitting him. Ste hadn't said anything.

But this was the sad truth, Brendan supposed. Ste felt he could open to up a stranger – or, in this case, someone who didn't even exist – more than he had ever done with Brendan.

Ste had been beaten by his step-dad. Brendan had never been told. And now Brendan wanted find that guy. Find him and make him pay so very dearly. Actually, that may have been the reason Stephen had never mentioned it to Brendan, because he knew what Brendan had done to Danny after he had threatened Ste.

But Brendan didn't allow anyone to lay a finger on Stephen. And Brendan honestly did hope that one day his own rule would apply to him too.

He realised he hadn't replied to Ste, and the lad was waiting for a reply.

_**Damien Donaghy: Ste, that's awful, I'm sorry.**_

God he was sorry. Seemed that Stephen had always been involved in some domestic violence or other – both as the victim and the afflicter, and god, didn't that make Brendan feel worse.

_**Ste Hay: Only my best friend and her dad know about that though**_

He must be talking about Amy and her dad. Did that mean that Amy had met Ste's step-dad?

_**Damien Donaghy: **_ _**What about your mum?**_

_**Ste Hay: She didn't do anything about it. When he was hitting me it meant he wasn't hitting her**_

So not only had the bastard laid hands on Ste, he'd beaten a woman - his _wife - _as well.

_**Damien Donaghy: Are things between you and your parents any better now?**_

_**Ste Hay: Don't know my real dad and I won't have anything to do with my mum and step-dad. He isn't fit to be around anyone and my mum's no saint either. Last time she visited me she stole from me and my workplace so I lost my job. I haven't seen or spoken to them in years. I prefer it that way **_

Why had Brendan not known this? He supposed Ste never said because Brendan never asked. Brendan should have asked. He was beginning to hate 'Damien'. This guy was able to have conversations with Ste that he and Ste might never have. 'Damien' got to find out things Ste hadn't and probably was never going to tell Brendan. But Brendan wasn't giving 'Damien' up, because right now, this and the deli were the only reasons Ste would talk to him anymore. And he wasn't willing to give Ste up ever, so 'Damien' was staying.

_**Damien Donaghy: You've been through a lot, I'm sorry you've had to.**_

_**Ste Hay: No need to say sorry, it isn't like you've done anything bad to me is it? :P  
**_

Oh, if only Ste knew.

Cheryl chose that moment to arrive home and slam the door shut behind her.

"Evening Chez." Brendan said from his spot on the sofa. He sent a swift response to Stephen:

_**Damien Donaghy: No I haven't**_

before looking over at his sister. "You're back early, good night?"

"You promised me!" Cheryl rounded on him, looking absolutely furious. "You said you had _nothing _to do with Ste's break up!"

"What? I've done nothing!"

"Nothing?" Cheryl asked, face the perfect combination of shocked and appalled. "Eighty thousand pounds isn't _nothing _Brendan! I bumped into Ste earlier, he told me _everything_! I can't believe you've done this!"

Brendan looked down at his laptop as a reply from Ste popped up

_**Ste Hay: Then no need to be sorry. You are so understanding, and great to talk to :)**_

"I just like to see Stephen happy." Brendan said, in response to both Cheryl and to the message on his laptop. He looked at his seething sibling. "I want him to be happy."

Cheryl actually stomped a high-heeled foot in frustration. "And ruining his relationship with Doug will make him happy? No, Brendan. That will make _you _happy. You need to learn the difference!"

_**Damien Donaghy: Glad I'm a help. I like talking to you too.**_

"Doug was lying to Stephen." Brendan turned back to Cheryl. "I was doing it to help Ste."

"Oh please, Brendan. You are the biggest liar I've ever known. I hardly believe a word you say anymore."

_**Ste Hay: So anyway, enough about that, errm…where was I?**_

_**Damien Donaghy: Your exes?**_

_**Ste Hay: Oh yeah. Well the 3rd one, he beat me, but he was the first man I ever loved.**_

"Brendan! Are you even listening to me?"

Brendan tore his gaze from his conversation with Ste. "Yeah Chez I am! I'm sorry, ok? I thought I was doing Ste a favour. I didn't know it would split him and Doug up, Doug wasn't even gay when all the deli stuff happened."

"You are so ignorant! Doug didn't just _turn _gay! And of course you knew that making Doug keep it all a secret from Ste would split them up regardless of whether what you were splitting up was a relationship or a friendship!"

_**Damien Donaghy: Let me guess, despite everything, he's hard to let go?**_

"I was trying to help Ste start his new life!"

_**Ste Hay: Yeah. He's found it hard to let go too**_

"By secretly buying him a business and putting him in debt to you?" Cheryl threw her hands up in the air. "How can he have a new life if you are still interfering and trying to control it?"

_**Damien Donaghy: Yes well it's hard to let go sometimes.**_

_**Ste Hay: Yeah it is, but my ex always manages to handle things differently. Not in the normal way**_

"I didn't want to be cut straight out of his life." Brendan said stubbornly. "And I was the only way he was going to afford that business."

"But he didn't want you to, and you just went and did it anyway because you had to get back into his life didn't you? He'd moved on! But because of your meddling his relationship with Doug is over barely after it began!"

_**Damien Donaghy: And what about your other exes? **_

_**Ste Hay: The 4th one cheated on me and the one who I just broke up with lied to me**_

_**Damien Donaghy: You broke up because he lied? But everyone lies, don't they? **_

_**Ste Hay: Not like he did. It's hard to explain. All the men I've been with have lied to me at some point**_

"I didn't mean for any of that to happen!"

"That is such a lie!" Cheryl snapped. "Almost every word out of your mouth is a lie."

_**Damien Donaghy: And this one ex that it was hard to let go of? Does he lie?**_

_**Ste Hay: He especially lies**_

"You know, I can't believe anything you say." Cheryl was saying.

_**Damien Donaghy: And you still like him?**_

_**Ste Hay: I'll always feel a bit…I dunno…different about him. But he needs to change before I even begin to trust him again let alone anything else**_

"Are you even listening to me?" Cheryl asked loudly, before huffing angrily "Forget it! I can't even look at you right now. I'm going to bed."

That pulled Brendan away from his computer distraction. He hated Cheryl angry with him, and she was absolutely furious. "Aww Chez, come on!"

"No Brendan. There is no way I'm going to try and make you see sense when you're not even listening to a word I say and answering each question with a lie. Sort it out Brendan."

"Sort what out? Ste and Doug? I don't think I can do that." He didn't _want _to do that.

_**Damien Donaghy: So you would consider maybe one day taking him back?**_

"Not just Ste and Doug! Yourself Brendan! Just sort yourself out!" Cheryl spun around and began to head upstairs. "I'm not in the mood to argue with you about this now. We'll speak about this tomorrow."

"I'm sorry Chez."

"No you're not."

_**Ste Hay: I don't know.**_

Cheryl was right. No, Brendan wasn't actually sorry.

Because Ste's reply was 'I don't know'. It wasn't an outright 'no'.

Now that Brendan had gotten Douglas out of the picture. Brendan still had a chance.

And it was sad to say that just that 'I don't know' filled Brendan with some hope.

* * *

That's all for part 7! I will try and post part 8 in the next couple of days so that I am up to date with the show! Unfortunately the show moves faster than I have time to write but I'm trying :P Thank you guys for all your patience with this!  
Thank you very much for reading! I hope you enjoyed!  
Any reviews would be most appreciated and loved 3  
mnm37 x


	8. Chapter 8

New chapter :D I hope you enjoy!

I know that some of the events in this chapter have already taken place in the show, but this is my version to fit to the story, and I hope you like them just as much as the show :)

Thank you to everyone who has read/faved/followed this and had the patience to wait for each update! Also an extra big thank you to StendanUSF, shun95145, stendanlove, Soggy-Teabag, tashiihalsey, Chan The Lamb, thefallenangelme, flame69 and ruthyroo for the lovely reviews :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Hollyoaks

* * *

**Brendan**

"I cannot _believe _this Brendan!"

Great. Cheryl shouting at him _again _for the hundredth time in three weeks. First it was about Walker, and then it was about Joel getting hurt, and then it was about Ste and Doug breaking up and the deli money, and now, in a full, infuriating cycle, she's back to Walker again.  
Or rather, Walker is back again.

"I can't believe you asked him back!" She shrieked. "After what he got Joel into? And all that money he was keeping when he told you he couldn't even afford a hotel room? I don't trust him as far as I can throw him Bren, and you shouldn't trust him either."

"He's helping me."

"To do _what _exactly?"

"Business stuff."

"Then ask Joel! He's your business partner! I bet you haven't even asked for his help. Oh god, I bet you haven't even told him Walker's back. You haven't have you? Joel's going to be furious!"

x-x

As it turned out, yes, Joel was furious when he found out three hours later.

"I can't _believe_ you Brendan!"

"This shouting…" Brendan lifted a hand to his ear. "You and Cheryl constantly shouting…it's getting very tiring."

"Then stop doing stupid things that make us angry then!" Joel snapped. "How can you have asked Walker back? After what he did to me?"

"Technically he didn't…"

"He set all that up! He may as well have been holding the knife!"

"Don't interrupt me." Brendan said. He hated it when Joel cut him off. The kid was far too short tempered. "It's rude."

"Like you don't interrupt!" Joel retorted. "I want him gone, Brendan."

"He's helping me."

"With what? What can he help you with that I can't?"

"It's none of your business."

"Actually, if this concerns _our _business, then I own half of it, and I want to know."

Brendan closed his eyes and tilted his head. Trying to block out that angry face. The angrier voice. "Look, all you need to know is that he's staying and until then, it's best that we all get along. He's back because I asked and he's staying till I tell him to go. I have control of this."

"I don't think you do. I don't think you have _any _idea of who this guy is and what he is capable of."

"You could say the same about me." Brendan opened his eyes to fix Joel with a warning glare. "So don't push it."

"Don't threaten me Brendan, 'cos it isn't working. Tell me why he's back."

Brendan just watched the young man in front of him. Watched him bubble with anger and boil over like a pan left on the hob for too long. It was fascinating to watch, and if Brendan had been a younger, less confident human, it might have been a little bit frightening. But he wasn't, and to him it looked like Joel was having a rather childish tantrum.

"Look, he's obviously back for another one of your schemes. And like all the others I've ever known you have, it isn't going to work. You are playing far too many games at once Brendan, and you're losing them. Ste and the deli, when you sent me to get stabbed, and that stupid plot about 'Damien Donaghy' which if you ask me…"

"Who is Damien Donaghy?"

Brendan forced down a wince as Cheryl came down the stairs.

"Who is Damien Donaghy?" She repeated. "I've never heard of him." She was eyeing them both suspiciously.

Joel was watching him, trying not to look smug, although it crept into his voice as he said "A friend of Brendan's."

"Not another one like Walker?" Cheryl rounded on Brendan.

Brendan tightened his jaw. More shouting. "He's not like Walker." He glared at Joel over her shoulder.

"He'd better not be coming here to 'help' you as well." Cheryl snapped.

"Don't worry Sis, you'll never get to meet him. He's never coming here."

"Good. Though to be honest, I wish Walker had never come here either."

The minute she was out of earshot Brendan leant threateningly toward Joel and hissed "Regardless of whether you have just come out of hospital or not, if you can't keep your mouth shut, I'll put you back in there. Understood?"

Joel huffed. "Alright, alright. Just, get rid of Walker. Because I own half of that club and if he's going to be in it, I have the equal right to want him gone."

x-H.O-x

**Joel**

Joel couldn't help but scowl as he, Brendan and Walker walked into the club together later that day. So much for Brendan getting rid of Walker.

"An Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman walked into a bar." Brendan said with a grin.

Joel heard Walker snort a laugh as they climbed the club stairs. Joel didn't even allow himself to smile.

Brendan's elbow dug into his side. "Aww, come on Josephine, that was funny!"

"He's just grumpy Brendan." Walker commented as he and Brendan sat on the sofa. Joel kept his distance and sat on a barstool, arms crossed.

"I'd be a lot happier if you were gone." Joel snapped.

Brendan looked pissed off and Walker looked smug. Joel wanted to wipe that stupid knowing smile off his face.

"Why?" Walker asked, his soft, even voice forever infuriating. "Want me to go so you can have Brendan all to yourself?"

"No." Joel said.

"Of course not." Walker smiled, "But I've got things to do anyway." He stood swiftly, eyes managing to watch Brendan and Joel at the same time. There was something eerie about him, vampiric. Joel hated him. "I'll leave you two ladies alone."

Joel glared at him, and continued to do so until the creep had disappeared from view on the stairs. His angry gaze then switched to Brendan.

"He's not leaving." Brendan said bluntly.

Joel opened his mouth to argue, but Brendan gave him that no-nonsense look that warned him he'd already pushed it too far today. He shut his mouth and bit his tongue.

"Good boy." Brendan said, before moving to recline back on the sofa, closing his eyes. "Also, as you keep telling me, you own half of this club, and as you were too busy gallivanting with Theresa the other night, your half of the paperwork is still unfinished. Go and do it, there's a good lad. And don't shut the door too loudly when you do, I'm starting to get a headache from all this shouting that seems to have been occurring today."

Joel clenched his fists. He stood up and headed to the club office and slammed the door as loudly as he could behind him.

x-H.O-x

**Walker**

Walker stepped out of the club and into the afternoon sunlight. It was good to be back, both in Hollyoaks and with Brendan. Shame about the kid always getting in the way and kicking up a fuss. That was a down side of coming back; a lot of the residents of Hollyoaks could be insufferable.

"Fancy seeing you back around here."

Speaking of which.

Walker let his eyes fall onto the woman who had spoken. The one he'd met on his first day in Hollyoaks – worked at the coffee shop – now, what was her name?

"Cindy, isn't it?" He asked.

Cindy's face lit up. "Yes it is, surprised you remember little old me."

He'd rather he didn't. He forced a smile anyway. "How could I forget?"

"I hope that's a compliment Walker."

He flashed an even bigger smile. "You know it is."

She smiled back, all white teeth and perfection. "I'd heard you'd left. So, what brings you back to Hollyoaks?"

"Business." He said.

"So not Cheryl?" Cindy pried. "Did it not work out between the two of you?"

Walker thought about every time he'd seen Cheryl in the very small amount of time he'd been back in the village. Each glare she gave him was more venomous than the last. "No. It didn't."

"Aww, that's a shame." She didn't sound too sorry. "But I hear you are working with her brother anyway?"

"Brendan and I are friends."

"So I hear." Where was she hearing all these things? "So, what are you up to now?"

"Just thought I'd get a bite to eat." He looked around and spotted the delicatessen. The one he often saw Brendan glance towards, or watch for some reason, when he thought Walker wasn't looking. "From there." He nodded.

"Oh, Brendan would approve, he's a regular customer."

"He knows the owners?"

"He knows one better than the other." She said knowingly, watching movement in the deli window. "He knows Ste _very _well."

Walker looked at her, trying to process the information. What she was trying to imply? "Ste." He repeated.

"Or 'Stephen' as Brendan prefers to call him." Cindy grinned wickedly, turning to face him again. "Honestly, sweety, I could tell you things about people in this village that you wouldn't believe."

Brilliant. He'd made friends with the village gossip. That might actually make spending time with this woman bearable.

"You could tell me things about Brendan? He keeps a lot to himself."

"I could." Cindy said. "But I have to go to work at College Coffee. My shift ends at four though."

"I'll meet you for a coffee."

"See you then." Cindy winked and twirled away with the swish of a heel.

Walker looked towards the deli. He wasn't actually hungry for food...but information...he wanted plenty of that.

x-H.O-x

**Ste**

"Ste, can I talk to you?"

"About work? Yeah." Ste said.

Doug looked disheartened. "But…"

"Look, Doug, you've told me everything you need to tell me. I've heard everything you've wanted me to hear, but I'm not taking you back. Working with you? Fine. We have a business we run together, and we are both in debt to Brendan. That's where I draw the line."

"What about friendship?" Doug pleaded.

Ste nodded swiftly. "I need time, though. I need to be able to trust my friends."

"But Ste…"

Ste turned away from Doug and back to the counter when he heard the door open and shut, to find a man he had never seen before standing in the deli, his hands in his jacket's front pockets, his eyes fixed on Ste.

"Hi. What can I get you?" Ste smiled, feeling relieved to see another face. As long as there was a customer in the deli, it meant Doug wasn't begging for another chance.

What the man asked Ste was somewhat of a surprise. "Does Brendan come here often?"

Ste heard Doug make a quiet scoffing sound of annoyance behind him.

"Brendan Brady?" He didn't even know why he was asking the man to confirm if it was that Brendan. Of _course _it was going to be _that _Brendan.

When the man spoke, his voice was calm, slow, even. He made Ste feel on edge and yet like he was in pleasant company at the same time. It was odd.  
The man had pointed features, yet they suited him in an elegant sort of way. There was also an element of mystery about him, a glint of danger that was slight on the surface, but definitely there, like the catch of light on the guy's ear piercing. Ste didn't know what to make of him.

"Yes." The man said. "Brendan Brady."

x-x

**Walker**

Walker watched the boy – Ste...the young American man had called him Ste as Walker had arrived in the deli, so he'd found the right man - shuffle, awkward under Walker's steady gaze. "He comes in sometimes. Why?"

"I'm supposed to be getting him a panini," Walker offered him a smile. "But I have no idea what he'd want, and he didn't specify."

Ste rolled his eyes. "Typical."

Walker was surprised by the boy's – Ste's – reaction. "What is?"

"Brendan. He won't tell you what he wants and then tells you off if you get the wrong thing."

The American in the kitchen behind Ste cleared his throat uneasily. Walker let his gaze skip to the guy for a second, but not at all interested in him, let his eyes snap back to Ste, who was sending a look at his business partner that Walker couldn't interpret.

"Sounds like you speak from experience." Walker said slowly, gaining the boy's attention effectively. "Know him well then?"

"Yeah, well, I used to work for him, didn't I?" The kid said with a shrug. Oh, did he now?

"So you'll know exactly what he likes." Walker said, half-meaning the double entendre he put into that question. By the American guy's reaction, which Walker noted out of the corner of his eye, the other lad had taken it one way. Ste, however, had obliviously only recognised the other.

"I can make a guess." The kid said, before setting to work, collecting up various ingredients from the counter. "So are you new round here?" He asked as he worked.

"New in Hollyoaks, yes." Walker replied, intently watching him work.

"And you're working for Brendan?" Ste guessed.

"Yes. I'm a friend of his. I needed work and he did me a favour."

"Oh?" Ste paused in his work.

"So…Ste, isn't it?"

The American made some kind of movement behind Ste and another cough that might have been a warning of some sort. Walker didn't care. He ignored it.

Apparently Ste was too. "Yes."

"So Ste, did you enjoy working for Brendan? How long did you work for him?"

"I worked at the club for about two years but he wasn't my boss the whole time. It was alright I guess. The money was ok. But then we…" He motioned back to his business partner, as though hoping to avert Walker's gaze from him. It didn't work. "Started this place."

"It's a nice little business." Walker said, though he hadn't actually looked around it that much.

"Thanks." Ste smiled and put the wrapped and ready panini on the counter. "There you go…sorry, I didn't get your name…"

"Walker."

"Nice to meet you." Ste smiled politely. "Is there anything else I can get you Walker?"

"No thank you." Walker smiled back. "I've got all I needed." He had all he needed to know.

"Ok, well that's two pounds please."

x-x

**Ste**

Walker handed Ste the money without even breaking eye-contact. Ste felt uneasy under that never-ceasing stare. Did the guy ever blink?

"Thank you." Walker said.

Ste smiled. "You're welcome. Have a nice day."

"I will." Walker smiled. A slow curve of his lip.

Ste looked down to put the two pound coin in the till. When he looked up again, Walker was already gone.

"Are you crazy?" Doug cried out the moment they were alone.

"Huh?" Ste turned around to find Doug right in front of him.

"That man…you just told him you worked for Brendan, you made out like you knew him really well."

"I did?" Ste was sure he'd kept his answers neutral. Hiding the truth but stating the facts. "I only said I worked for him. Loads of people have."

"But you have no idea who Walker is! How close is he to Brendan? Why is he here? What is he up to?" Doug persisted.

"I don't know. Brendan never mentioned him."

"Well if he didn't, that means he's not someone Brendan regards highly, surely. Don't you see? He might be another Warren!"

Ste looked back to where Walker had ghosted out of the door without Ste even hearing him leave. "You think?"

"I do. I'm worried about you Ste. Someone could one day use you to get to Brendan, if they ever found out. You know that right?"

Actually, Doug was closer to the truth than he even knew. He was just a tad too late. Two people had already threatened Ste to get to Brendan. One was now in prison, and one was dead. Ste knew how dangerous Brendan's contacts could be, but Brendan wouldn't have brought this man here – a friend – if he was going to hurt Ste. Brendan may have been a violent and controlling boyfriend, but he was protective beyond reason, and if this Walker ever became trouble, Brendan would be able to take control of the situation.

But Ste hoped it would never come to that. Besides, Ste wasn't Brendan's to unconditionally protect anymore. And for that matter…

"You don't have to worry about me Doug." Ste said. "I'm not yours to worry about anymore."

x-H.O-x

**Brendan**

Brendan was still lying on the sofa in the club, eyes still closed. Joel had left, so the headache was receding.

He was aware of footsteps on the club stairs, and knew it was Walker before the man even spoke. "Where's the Angry Scotsman?"

Brendan's lip quirked in amusement. "He's gone." He said, cracking open an eyelid to look at Walker. He immediately spotted the panini in Walker's hand.

Walker had been to the deli.

Stephen.

Brendan didn't let his thoughts show as he said casually "I see you are trying the local cuisine."

Walker looked down at the panini in his hand and back up at Brendan with an arched eyebrow. "I'm not hungry. But seen as though you always are…" He held it out. "I got it for you."

Brendan may claim himself to be a man of control – but when food was involved…

He sat up, swinging his legs round so there was space for Walker to sit down next to him, and to pass him the panini.

Brendan opened the panini and took a big bite. He was all ready to criticise Walker for choosing the wrong filling.

But then the ham, cheese and pickle met his taste buds. It was his favourite thing to eat on a cloudy day like this, especially in the early-week, when the weekend seemed miles away. He used to send Ste out to get them all the time when Ste had worked for him:

_"Ham and cheese." He used to say to Stephen as he was about to leave to get his and Brendan's lunches. "And don't forget a jar of pickle. I hate that pre-made sandwiches don't have pickle in them."_

"_I know." Ste used to reply, shrugging on his Chez Chez jacket and sending Brendan one of those smiles that Brendan missed so much. One of those adoring, hero-worshipping smiles._

_Often though, he wouldn't tell Ste what he wanted. It was another tiny part of the control game he used to play. If Ste got the right filling that Brendan wanted that day, he was rewarded. When he got it wrong, he was criticised. _

Walker couldn't have guessed this was what Brendan wanted. Ste had made it, Brendan was sure. Ste knew what he liked.

As if reading Brendan's mind, Walker spoke, breaking Brendan from his reverie. "I didn't know what you would like, and I asked the lads in the deli if you went in often and what you liked to have. One of them – Ste – said he used to work for you, so he made it because he could guess what you'd want. Was he right?" Walker was watching him, a little too closely.

Brendan wanted to close his eyes and smile. Ste often knew him better than Brendan knew himself, or was prepared to show of himself. But he kept a straight face, kept up his monotonous, slightly-opened-mouth chewing. "S'alright." He said through the panini and the ham and the cheese and the pickle.

Was Walker trying to get to him? Did Walker know? Well either way, it wasn't going to work. Brendan would kick Walker straight out of town if that card was ever played, and Brendan was always ready to protect Ste. Walker's games weren't going to beat Brendan. Brendan Brady was never beaten.

"Well, I have to go back now, I've got a meeting with a contact you were interested in." Walker said with a swift grin, eyes still assessing. "I hope you enjoy your panini."

Brendan made a muffled noise through his eating, watching Walker leave suspiciously. Thinking. What was the man's game?

But once the other man was gone, Brendan let himself revel in the taste of that panini.

It tasted better than ever, because of the fact that _Ste _had made it and even now, still got it right.

_Ste used to do a triumphant smile every time he got it right._

_And when he had ever gotten it wrong, the food would never taste quite as good to Brendan when it didn't come with Ste's winning smile._

* * *

That's all for this chapter!  
There shouldn't be too much more of this fic to go - maybe a few more chapters - so the end is in sight people! :D  
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed!  
Any reviews would be most loved and appreciated! :)  
mnm37 x


	9. Chapter 9

OMG GUYS! What did you all think of the episodes on Friday/E4 friday...bloooody hell! Did not see that coming! Lynsey is still in this story, so you can all enjoy her for a little bit longer :)

I hope you enjoy this update. Only two more chapters left to go after this one :)

Thank you to everyone who has read/faved/followed this and had the patience to wait for each update! Also an extra big thank you to StendanUSF, shun95145, stendanlove, Soggy-Teabag, tashiihalsey, Chan The Lamb, thefallenangelme, flame69 and ruthyroo for the lovely reviews :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Hollyoaks

* * *

_**Two weeks later**_

**Ste**

"What's making you so happy?"

Ste looked up from his laptop to find Cheryl, Lynsey, Nancy and Cindy watching him from the opposite sofa in College Coffee.

Ste felt himself redden and he tried to wipe his inane grin off his face, but Damien's last comment to him had been really funny and it was hard to stop laughing, let alone smiling.

_**Ste Hay: People have just seen me smiling to myself like an idiot. I blame you**_

_**Damien Donaghy: Sorry!**_

_**Ste Hay: No you're not**_

_**Damien Donaghy: No, not really ;)**_

"Ste, sorry to be nosy, but are you still using that dating website?" Lynsey's curious-but-worried voice made Ste look up again.

"Yeah." Ste said sheepishly, blushing a bit more when Cindy, Cheryl and Nancy became increasingly interested in the new information.

"I didn't know you were on a dating site Ste." Cheryl smiled encouragingly, not seeming to notice Lynsey's poorly hidden concern. "Met anyone nice?"

"Yeah, actually." Ste smiled again.

"Is that who you are talking to?" Nancy asked.

"Err…yeah, actually…" Ste noticed that three of the women were looking at him like it was the cutest thing they'd heard all week, and Lynsey just carried on looking concerned, so Ste quickly amended his statement for everyone's benefit: "He's just a friend and we've never met. He's just nice to talk to."

"Have you seen what he looks like?" Lynsey pressed.

"Oooh yes, show us a photo!" Cindy said, misreading what Lynsey was meaning.

_**Damien Donaghy: I've got to be going, sadly. Speak tonight?**_

_**Ste Hay: Yeah deffo**_

_**Damien Donaghy: X**_

Ste smiled again but quickly shut the laptop when Cheryl began to edge towards the screen.

"He's tall with brown hair and eyes, if you really want to know." Ste said as vaguely as possible, standing up and tucking the laptop under his arm.

"Well that's not at all helpful." Cheryl rolled her eyes. "Don't we at least get a name?"

"Damien Donaghy." Ste grinned at them, before waving at Amy and leaving the Café with a spring in his step.

x-H.O-x

**Cheryl**

"I'm glad he's happy and moving on." Nancy said, the moment Ste left. "He's been with some right jerks. No offense Cheryl."

It startled Cheryl from trying to remember where she had heard the name Damien Donaghy. "Huh? Oh…none taken."

"Chez, what's wrong?" Lynsey was watching her now. "Everything ok?"

"Where would I have heard the name Damien Donaghy before?" She asked. It was infuriating. She was sure she'd heard the name somewhere - and not that long ago either. Why couldn't she remember?

Lynsey shrugged. "I've never heard of him."

"Me neither." Cindy inputted.

"Nope." Nancy confirmed.

"I have though." Cheryl insisted. Where the hell had she heard it before?

"Anyway as I was saying before," Cindy said, picking up on what she had been about to tell the others before they had been distracted by Ste, "I was going to tell you all about who I bumped into and had coffee with the other week."

"Who?"

"Walker."

"That's Brendan's friend, right?" Nancy asked.

Lynsey frowned. "There's something I really don't trust about him."

Cheryl opened her mouth to say something about hating Walker, but then what Nancy had said struck a chord in her mind. "Brendan's friend." She repeated, her brain now providing her with where she had heard the name 'Damien Donaghy' before. "Brendan's friend."

"Err, Cheryl?" Cindy was looking at her like she'd gone crazy. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine." Cheryl lied, shaking her head and standing up, "But you know what, I forgot to do something…I'll see you guys back here later."

"What? Chez!" Lynsey protested, but Cheryl wasn't listening.

As she walked out of the café she spotted Rhys and Jacqui on a walk with their dog Terry. The couple ceased their bickering when Cheryl asked Rhys, "Rhys, sorry, have you seen Brendan today?"

"He's in the club." Rhys told her.

"Right, thank you." And Cheryl was storming towards the club before Rhys had a chance to say anything else.

x-H.O-x

**Brendan**

Brendan had expected a quiet afternoon in the club, he only had a couple of deliveries, and it was Tuesday, so the club wouldn't be too busy in the evening, so stocking up wouldn't be too strenuous.

That was, however, until Cheryl was suddenly in front of him, shouting at him.

"Who is Damien Donaghy?"

Brendan started in surprise. "Who?"

_Not here Chez. Don't start here. Shut up._ He thought manically, glancing towards the office.

"Don't pretend not to remember! You and Joel were talking about him the other week and when I asked who he was Joel said he was a friend of yours. What are you scheming with him?"

"Am I interrupting something?" A voice carried to them from across the room.

That was what Brendan didn't want to happen. Walker had come out of the office and was leaning against the doorframe. He'd heard the whole thing, the way he was staring quizzically at Brendan showed that clear enough.

"Oh. You're here." Cheryl seemed to deflate a bit, and thankfully her anger switched from Brendan to Walker for a moment.

"Yes I am. Sorry." Walker didn't sound sorry.

"Walker, leave us for a bit would you?" Brendan said. It wasn't a request, it was an order.

Walker read that straight away and his straightened up from the doorway, mouth a straight thin line, eyes hardening. "Fine. I've got some stuff to be doing anyway."

"See you later." Brendan said, pretending to be distracted, but following every step Walker took across the room and down the stairs.

"Yeah. See you."

The moment Walker was gone, Cheryl was interrogating him again.

"Damien Donaghy is a friend of yours."

"Yeah…" Brendan finally said, "So?"

"So why is your friend coincidentally talking to Ste on a dating website?"

Brendan had been chatting to Ste on the internet not fifteen minutes ago, but he'd had no idea it had been Cheryl who Ste had said had seen him. "You must have heard wrong."

"I heard perfectly well. Damien Donaghy is your friend, and he is talking to Ste on the internet. Did you put Damien up to this? You've let another man I have never heard of and don't like the sound of talk to the man you used to love…or still love…or…." She trailed off. "Where is Damien from, Brendan?"

"Liverpool."

"Known him long?"

"Longer than Walker."

Cheryl's eyes narrowed. She must have figured it out. The girl was smart. Brady brains. "I'm going to tell Ste." She said, watching him closely for his reaction.

Brendan's "Don't." came out quicker than he meant and he mentally cursed himself.

"Why not Brendan?"

"Because…"

"And don't lie to me Bren. I am so _tired _of your lies." She sounded disappointed again. Sad, disappointed and untrusting. She was visibly tired of Brendan's lying to her. To be honest, so was Brendan half the time. "Please just, what's going on? If this Damien isn't a good person…"

"Damien Donaghy isn't a person."

Ok, so maybe she hadn't fully caught on, because Brendan watched her face twist in confusion. "What?"

"Damien Donaghy isn't a threat because he isn't a person. He doesn't exist."

"But Ste is…"

Well, Brendan had let the cat out of the bag now, and if it meant Cheryl wasn't going around frightening people with talk of a dangerous 'Damien' then so be it. Ste couldn't find out, and if this kept Cheryl quiet then he'd tell her the truth just this once. "Ste is talking to a person who doesn't exist."

"But…" She stopped. She stared. True realisation dawned. She glared. "Damien Donaghy…is you?"

"I created a fake account."

Cheryl looked even more confused now. "But…_why_?"

"When I found out Ste was using a dating site I was worried about him. I just kept thinking about the girls Silas murdered and I didn't want Ste caught up in anything like that. So I created an account so that the person Ste was talking to wouldn't be able to hurt him, because he wasn't real."

Cheryl snorted disbelievingly. "And it had nothing to do with the fact that if Ste started to like someone who didn't exist, then he wouldn't date any other men, on the dating site or out of it."

"Well, yeah, a little. But Chez, it was in his best interests."

"No!" She hit him in the arm. Actually hit him. "You can't decide what's best for him Brendan. You can't_ control_ people like that. And if you think you talking to him means he can't get hurt, you are so, so wrong."

"I know." Brendan said, hating the desperate edge to his voice. "I know. I've realised that over the past few weeks. I know, and I hate it."

The last bit made Cheryl stop raising her hand to hit him again. She lowered it. "What? What do you hate?"

"That I'm talking to him as someone else. That he opens up to that person more than he ever did with me." Brendan turned away from her, ran a hand through his hair, turned back again. "I hate it that I'm a different person when I'm pretending to be 'Damien'. I'm the person I _want _to be when I'm Damien. I hate that the man Stephen speaks to and is beginning to like, is the version of me that I want him to see." He walked to the sofa and sat down on it heavily. Now he'd started opening up to his sister, it was hard to stop. She wanted the truth, and if she didn't like, well tough. "I hate it that everything I say to him online as someone else is everything I've always wanted to say and have been too locked up and scared to say."

He dared a glance up at Cheryl, slightly worried she wouldn't believe him again, but she had softened completely. She came and sat beside him and put a hand on his leg. "You can't keep doing this Brendan. To him, or yourself. Damien is the side of you that you always wanted him to see, but as long as you keep pretending to be someone else then he's never going to know."

"When he finds out I've been lying to him…"

"He may not be able to forgive you," Cheryl confirmed. Brendan already knew he was on thin ice with Ste, the thought of losing him for good was painful as hell. "But he may also see that he's seen a side of you that he could still get to know."

"Or he'll think I've been lying really well."

"Or that." Cheryl said. "But you can't keep lying to him like this. I'm not giving you a choice here Brendan, either you tell him, or I do."

x-H.O-x

**Walker**

Walker stormed straight into College Coffee, eyes scanning the room immediately for Cindy.

He spotted her quickly. Cindy was sitting with the nosy Irish nurse and another woman. He walked straight up to them.

"Cindy." He said.

Cindy turned and saw him, flashing him a smile. "Oh hello, you."

"I need to talk to you."

"About what?" The Irish girl – Lynsey – cut in with narrowed eyes. As if she didn't want to pry in his life enough.

The women were waiting expectantly for him to answer.

"In private." He amended, eyes firmly on Cindy.

Cindy nodded and stood up. "I won't be a moment, girls."

"But Cindy…" Lynsey started to protest.

Cindy was already pulling Walker away towards the counter by his sleeve. He flashed Lynsey a grin over his shoulder.

"Do you want anything to eat or drink?" Cindy asked as they neared the till.

"No. I just need to ask you something."

"Coffee please, Amy." Cindy said to the girl on the other side of the counter. "You know how I like it, milky and…" Her eyes travelled up and down Walker's body "…Sweet." She said.

The girl behind the till rolled her eyes and turned to the coffee machine.

"So," Cindy leant seductively against the counter. "What can I do for you today Walker?"

"Who is Damien Donaghy?" He asked, lowering his voice so the girl making coffee couldn't hear. "He's a friend of Brendan's. Do you know who he is?"

"Ste and Cheryl mentioned him earlier." Cindy said, but unfortunately for Walker, she then shrugged. "But I have never heard of him before today."

Walker pursed his lips in annoyance. "Thanks." He turned away.

"Aren't you going to stay for coffee?" He heard her ask.

"I'm running late for a meeting. See you around." He left the coffee shop, feeling Lynsey's eyes bore into him the whole way.

x-H.O-x

**Amy**

By the time Amy turned back to the counter with the coffee, Walker had gone.

"Where did he rush off to?" She asked Cindy as she passed the coffee over.

"A meeting, apparently." Cindy said. She didn't actually sound that disappointed.

"Oh, so what did he want?" Amy asked.

Cindy shrugged. "He was asking about some guy called Damien Donaghy that's friends with Brendan Brady, but I've never heard of him before." Cindy blew on her coffee to cool it. "Have you?"

Worry flooded Amy's veins. Ste was talking to Damien Donaghy online. But Cindy was watching her, and she shook her head quickly. "No."

Cindy seemed to believe her. "He sounds intriguing though." Cindy commented. "This mystery Damien. Think he'll come to visit Hollyoaks sometime?"

"I hope not." Amy said.

-x-

"Ste!" Amy practically shrieked when she got home from work. "Ste!"

"What? What is it?" Ste appeared from the kitchen, where the smell of Bolognese sauce was wafting. "What's wrong?"

Seeing him safe and sound made Amy sigh in relief, but the anxious tension didn't leave her.

"Damien Donaghy."

"What about him?"

"Walker was asking about a Damien Donaghy in the Café today."

Ste looked puzzled. "Walker? That friend of Brendan's?"

Amy nodded frantically. "And apparently this Damien is too."

Ste's mouth dropped open and his eyes grew wide. "What?"

"Damien Donaghy is a friend of Brendan's. And coincidentally you've been talking to a Damien Donaghy online. There can't be two Damien Donaghy's around here, surely."

"You think Damien is a friend of Brendan's?" Ste repeated.

"I know he is! I'm worried Ste. If he's friends with Brendan and hardly anyone knows who he is, he's most likely dodgy. I don't think you should talk to him anymore. I'm scared for you. What if Brendan's put him up to this?"

"And how would Brendan know I'm on a dating site?" Ste rolled his eyes.

"I'm serious Ste! This Damien is playing you. He's bad news. He could be dangerous!"

Ste was affected by all this. Amy could see it. But in his fear he was joking, trying to hide the fact that the man he was falling for was not all he seemed.

"I know you've really grown close to him and gotten to like him, but Ste, you need to end whatever relationship or friendship you have with him. He'll get you hurt." Amy insisted. She didn't want anything else to happen to Ste. He deserved better.

Ste suddenly looked very sad and uncertain. "You think he's been lying to me?"

"I don't know _who _he is, Ste, but from what I've heard today, other people know of him, and I don't think he's been truthful to you."

"I can't believe this." Ste sank to the floor, resting his head against the cupboards. "Why is it always me? Why would he do this to me? What have I done to deserve this?"

Amy sat down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. "You deserve so much better."

"You don't have to worry Amy." Ste said, voice cracking slightly, "If you really think he's lying to me – that he could be dangerous – then I won't talk to him again."

"Promise me."

"I promise."

x-H.O-x

**Brendan**

Brendan sighed, fingers tentative as he opened the dating website.

He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to have to tell Ste. But if he didn't, Cheryl would.

How would he tell Ste? Online? In person? How the hell could he get himself out of this mess?

To his surprise though, Ste had solved the problem for him.

A minute before, Ste had sent him a message.

_**Ste Hay: I know this is a bit out of the blue, but do you want to meet up?**_

Well, that was unexpected.

_**Damien Donaghy: Yeah, course I would. When?**_

* * *

_****_Only two more parts (or maybe one if it doesn't get too long) to go!  
Thank you for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed!  
Any reviews would be amazing! Thank you!  
mnm37 x


	10. Chapter 10

This is the last chapter!

I hope you enjoy the ending.

A huge thank you to everyone who has read, faved and followed this and had the patience to wait for each update! Also an extra big thank you to all the lovely people who reviewed it! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Hollyoaks. If I did, it would be Stendan, Stendan, Stendan all day long :)

* * *

**Brendan**

Chester at midday. That had been the arrangement that he and Ste had made.

So, Brendan watched from a coffee shop across the street, to the bench where Ste sat himself down, at midday.

Then came the waiting game. Brendan couldn't believe he was this nervous. Brendan Brady shouldn't get _nervous_. But then again, what he was about to do could make Ste officially hate him forever, as if he didn't hate him enough already.

Brendan pulled the bowl of sugar sachets towards him and began to rip each one open in turn, making a little sugar mountain on the table top. Every so often he'd glance out to check Ste was still there. Stephen was sitting patiently, not really looking about for anybody, which was strange, seeing as though 'Damien' was getting later and later.

After about half an hour, Brendan left the table, leaving money next to the obliterated sugar. He took a deep breath as he got outside. How was he going to do this? How was he going to soften the blow? How was he going to finish this long and complicated game he'd been playing?

He walked past Ste, and then doubled-back, as though he'd just noticed him. Not that Ste was watching him do it anyway. "Stephen?"

Ste looked up, startled, and his gaze fixed on Brendan. "Brendan?" He asked stonily, "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, just business, you know." Brendan looked down at the boy in front of him. He didn't look too upset about the fact that the person he was supposed to be meeting was half an hour late. "And what brings you to sunny Chester?"

"I'm meeting someone."

"Oh? Anyone I know?"

"No."

"Well," Brendan made a great show of checking his watch, "I've got an hour or so until my next appointment, so I'll wait with you shall I?" And he sat down beside him before Ste could protest.

Ste couldn't move from where he'd arranged to meet 'Damien' and Brendan wasn't going to move. Ste obviously realised this and huffed loudly. "Ok, fine."

"So, how are things with you?"

"Ok I guess. Just, you know…a little in debt….to you."

"I'm not going to get involved with your business." Brendan said. How many times had he said this? And to how many people? "And I told Doug you guys could pay me back a little bit at a time the moment you started making a decent profit. I did this to help you Stephen, not so it would ruin you."

"Uh-huh." Ste said.

"Believe it or not, I do have good intentions sometimes. And your best interests at heart."

Ste glanced at him then, looking slightly amused. "I know. You have a weird way of showing it."

They descended back into silence and watched the people of Chester pass them by, rushing back and forth.

"Looks like your friend has stood you up." Brendan said at 1 o'clock.

"Yeah, looks that way. You can go now."

"But you're going to wait some more?"

"Maybe, but it doesn't concern you."

Brendan remained where he was. Ste didn't push him to leave. After another ten minutes of silence, Ste sighed.

"This friend I'm meeting. Amy doesn't know I'm meeting him."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Because she thinks he's dangerous. She told me she'd heard Walker talking about him. That he's bad news."

Brendan didn't know what to say. Why had Ste come to meet Damien if he thought he could be dangerous?

"But it's you, isn't it?" Ste asked quietly, not looking at Brendan and staring straight ahead.

That caught Brendan by surprise. "What?"

"It's been you all along." A beat of silence. "You're Damien Donaghy, aren't you?"

Brendan was actually shocked. He opened his mouth to say something, but Ste beat him to it.

"Don't lie to me," He fixed Brendan with a glare. "Just tell me the truth – you are him, aren't you?"

Brendan couldn't deny it now, he was here to tell Ste the truth anyway and Ste had just made the job a little easier. "How did you know?"

"I didn't know for sure it was you until today, but I guessed it could be. Damien was far too inquisitive about Doug and my thoughts on you. Then there was the one time you accidentally typed out my full name. And when I found out that you knew Damien and no-one else did. Then there's the fact that you just _love _to interfere in my life. And there was the photo. As soon as I saw it I thought it looked a bit like you – so who is it in the picture? You when you were younger? An edited photo?"

"My cousin Colin."

"Right." Ste nodded, not sounding at all impressed. "And what was the reason that made you go to all these lengths to create some imaginary person and lie to me?"

"Because I didn't want you to be hurt by anyone who wasn't who they were saying they were."

"Like you then?"

"I wanted to keep in contact somehow…"

"You wanted to carry on interfering."

"I needed to make sure you were doing ok."

"Keeping tabs on me."

"I wanted to get to know you."

Ste had no comeback to that. "You do know me."

"No, I realised I really don't." Brendan turned to face Ste more, holding his gaze seriously. "Why didn't you tell me about your parents?"

Ste snorted. "Look what happened to the last person that threatened me. Do you really think I would tell you?"

"But you thought that I might be Damien, and you told me anyway."

"Well, I was getting to know a different side to you, whether you were lying or not, so why not let you know a bit more about who I am. Why I am who I am."

"I wasn't lying. That person you were speaking to on the internet, that was all me, the side of me that I wanted to show you. God I want to show you, but…it's hard."

"That was genuine?" Ste was searching Brendan's eyes. Brendan knew that Ste could tell pretty easily now when Brendan was lying to him or not, and after a while Ste nodded, satisfied. "I thought so."

"You are taking this a lot better than I expected." Brendan still didn't get it.

Ste would never fail to surprise him.

"I had time to accept the possibility that it might be you. I spoke to Damien half the time imagining he was you. I kind of…" Ste ducked his head, "I kind of half hoped it would be you."

Brendan couldn't believe it. Hope flared up inside him, which was a new and weird feeling in itself. "You did?"

"I was telling you things I wouldn't have dared told you or anyone else in real life, and you just accepted it, accepted me. I got to tell you my true feelings about what you did to me and heard your response to it; even if it was from a different – imaginary person's - perspective."

The pair went quiet again, looking at each other awkwardly every so often. "So what now, Stephen?" Brendan honestly had no idea what was going to happen next.

Ste stood up. He shrugged. "I guess I'll think it over, work it out." He was going to walk away, but Brendan refused to let him leave without him knowing for certain.

He grabbed Ste's sleeve. "Is there any chance of us ever getting back together?" He doubted he'd been this blunt since he'd told Ste he loved him almost a year ago.

Ste cocked his head to the side, watching Brendan. "Is that what you want? Do you deserve it?"

"I don't deserve it." Brendan knew that more than anything. "But I really can change. I know you've heard it a thousand times before, but you've gotten to know the real me over the past few months and you know the person I can be, that I want to be. I won't ever want anyone else, Stephen. You…you're teaching me how to love, and I am getting there slowly. It's hard, and I want to love you properly Stephen. I want you to love me back."

"I know." Ste said sadly, giving Brendan the softest smile Brendan had seen from Ste in far too many months. "I know."

And then Ste was walking away, and Brendan had no choice but to watch him go.

He wanted to run after him and tell him absolutely everything he'd ever wanted to. But he couldn't, so he let Ste go.

x-H.O-x

Brendan didn't know whether to count this as a victory or not. Was Ste going to take him back? Had he forgiven him? Brendan had absolutely no idea how this one was going to play out. The ball was in Ste's court – the game was entirely in Ste's hands for one of the first times ever. Brendan was just going to have to sit it out and wait. And he knew, that after this, if Ste didn't want anything to do with him, he had to learn to let him go. He had to accept that he and Ste were never going to happen.

"How did it go?" Cheryl asked him the moment he arrived home. Joel looked up from his spot on the sofa.

Brendan shrugged.

"Well how did he react?"

"He already knew." Brendan said simply, knowing that Cheryl's look of surprise reflected how he still felt about it. "He'd figured it out."

"And?"

"He's making his mind up."

"About what?" Joel asked.

For once, Brendan didn't scold him for prying. "I don't know."

"Well is he taking you back?" Cheryl pressed.

"I don't know." Brendan repeated.

"What if he doesn't?" Cheryl sounded worried. She was probably wondering what new and crazy scheme Brendan could think of next.

"Then that's it." Brendan said, defeated. "I have to be done." He caught the looks of shock on Cheryl and Joel's faces. He knew the sadness that he was letting break out on his own, and he hated it. "Enough." He said simply, heading upstairs. "Enough."

-x-

Brendan lay on his bed in a melancholy, reminiscent state that was most unlike him, for nearly five hours. What was it about Ste that could make him feel like this? Could make him this miserable at the thought of never being with him again? It was almost unbearable.

Brendan eventually dragged himself off the bed when he got a text from Joel telling him he'd forwarded some emails sent to the club. Brendan turned on his laptop and scrolled through the emails quickly, not really taking them in, and not really caring right at that second either.

That was until he heard a little 'ding' noise, and a message alert popped up in the corner. He didn't know he'd still been logged into the dating site.

He clicked it open, hating to look at the damn site again. To see the profile name 'Damien Donaghy' burning him like an insult - like the identical twin that Brendan desperately wanted to be, just for Ste.

Don't get him wrong: Brendan didn't want to change completely. He had a reputation to maintain, a club to run, an empire to rule. All he wanted to do was change enough so that he could be with Stephen and not hurt him for doing nothing but love him.  
It was harder to do than it sounded.

The message, to his utter surprise, was from Ste.

_**Ste Hay: So, I think we should meet again. I'm thinking a chat and a drink sometime. I just have a few conditions:  
1. Brendan, if you reply to this message as Damien, I'm going to start worrying you have split-personality. Stop this Damien crap now  
2. We are not jumping straight back into anything. We meet as friends and get to know each other again and see how things go  
3. Get help for the abuse, because if you act out just once, I'm gone. For good. You can change Bren. If you want to, you can. Everyone in this village knows that you're gay and accepts it. The only person who doesn't sometimes is you. People accept you. You can too  
4. I will pay you back for the deli over time, but that is my business and you will not carry on interfering. But I may start a tab system for you whether Doug likes it or not  
5. I'm deleting this account and leaving the dating site. I think it's time to let Damien go too Bren**_

Brendan grabbed his phone. Ste didn't want him to reply as Damien, so he was going to text Ste for the first time in months.

_Where do you want to go? Where do you want to meet? _He texted.

Ste's reply was fast. _Hadn't thought that far_

Brendan knew that in order to move towards the first step of change, he had to drop the control he felt he always had to have. _Well let me know when you've decided when and where_

Brendan re-read the message on the dating site. Ste wanted to take it slow and not jump into anything too fast. Brendan could do slow. Brendan would go as slow as Stephen needed.

His next job was to delete his account. He was only too happy to do that. He watched Damien Donaghy disappear – lost in the web as though he was never there.

Goodbye Damien Donaghy.

x-H.O-x

**Three months later**

**Ste**

Ste waited by the door to College Coffee for Brendan to arrive. A lot had changed over the last few months. Ste and Brendan had been meeting up regularly for several months now, the meeting place always on Ste's terms. Ste always chose somewhere out of town to prevent people knowing about them too soon and trying to keep them apart. Brendan needed this chance without people judging them.

But today, today was the first time they were going to meet up in town. He knew Brendan had been irritable about it and had been trying to put it off, but Ste wanting to meet in town had indicated that they were moving another step up, and Brendan had finally agreed.

Brendan suddenly appeared around the corner, dismissing Walker, who was walking beside him, and then sauntering up to Ste, casual as anything. He was wearing his sun glasses and a tight-fitted black t-shirt.

Ste smiled widely when he saw Brendan. Ste looked forward to their meetings, and already he was seeing a change in Brendan. Just little things. Brendan seemed more comfortable with himself than ever, which was a good thing for Ste, but gave Brendan exaggerated confidence over everyone else, which meant he was still as intimidating and insufferable to everyone else, but to Ste, he was the complete opposite.

"Hello Stephen." Brendan said when he was in talking distance.

"Hey." Ste said, grin still in place.

Brendan stopped, and even though he was wearing the glasses, Ste could tell Brendan was eyeing the Coffee Shop quite warily. "You are far too happy about this Stephen."

"We are just going as friends." Ste insisted for the hundredth time. "Who can have anything to say about that?"

Brendan looked at him, letting his shades slide down his nose. "It's the Oaks, Stephen. Everyone is going to have everything to say about that."

Ste smiled again, "Well let them say what they like. You coming?"

Brendan took a breath and then the corner of his mouth curled upwards in response. "After you."

-x-

**Amy**

Amy looked up from the table she was clearing when she heard Ste's voice. But what she saw was a complete shock.

Ste was walking towards a table with none other than Brendan Brady, chattering away to him about something or other, and Brendan was smirking at what he was saying

They sat down and after a quick debate; Brendan stood up again to go to the counter.

Amy looked around in confusion, and spotted other Hollyoaks residents – Cindy and Tony behind the counter, a few of the fresher uni students, Michaela and Jacqui, Darren and Nancy – who were all watching Brendan and Ste in surprise.

Brendan and Ste looked so…friendly with eachother. But as far as she and everyone else knew, they hadn't spoken in over four months.  
What the hell was going on?

She sidled up to the table next to Ste and pretended to wipe it, despite the fact she'd cleared and cleaned it not minutes ago. "Ste." She hissed.

Ste looked round and smiled. "Oh, hey Amy."

"What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Since when have you and Brendan been all chummy and getting coffee together?"

Ste just looked at her vaguely and shrugged. "About three months now."

"You are back together and you didn't even tell me?" She'd said that a bit loudly and glanced up to find Brendan looking back at her, his expression unreadable. She lowered her voice and glared at Ste "After all he's done to you?"

"We aren't back together." Ste said stubbornly. "We have been meeting up as friends. Talking to each other. Getting to know each other. Starting out fresh and doing it properly – the way we should have done it the first time round." He lowered his voice even more "Brendan's been getting help about his anger problems. He doesn't like going, or the guy he goes to see, but he goes. No-one knows but me. And Brendan's doing it _for _me. He really is changing this time Amy. He doesn't control anything, he lets me make decisions. He's changing, slowly but surely."

Amy closed her eyes in despair when the truth hit her. "You love him again don't you?"

"I don't think I ever stopped."

"And he hasn't pressured you to do anything more than meeting up as friends?" Amy asked doubtfully. That didn't sound at all like Brendan.

"We haven't even kissed properly." Ste actually sounded none too happy about that. "Yet."

"Ste…" Amy started, her eyes flicking between him and Brendan. "I don't know…"

"We will talk about it more at home. I promise." Ste said, watching Brendan come back over to the table.

"Hello Amy." Brendan said, placing Ste's drink down in front of him.

"Brendan." She greeted in return.

"You joining us?" Ste asked her.

"My shift lasts another hour, so I'm afraid not. But I'll be around." The '_to keep an eye on you both' _was clear enough without being said.

She retreated and watched them as she worked, as curious as everyone else, while the pair drank, talked and laughed like normal, good friends. Like a normal, average couple.

Soon, their banter got boring to watch because it was that _normal, _and Amy reckoned she'd never described Brendan Brady as normal that many times in her life. The cafe was busy so after a while she stopped watching them and let herself get distracted. She could talk it through with Ste later.

And eventually the pair got up to leave, still chatting away like life-long friends. But Amy sneakily saw Brendan slide his hand into Ste's as they approached the door, and she saw the other hand that Brendan put on Ste's hip in order to guide him past some people who were trying to get through the door at the same time, she saw the way Brendan subtly pressed a kiss to Ste's head, and the adoring smile Ste sent back at him.

Amy knew whatever she would say wouldn't change a thing. And from what she could see, Ste was telling the truth about Brendan. She'd have to keep an eye on them of course, but there was no denying or stopping what she had just seen.

Brendan and Ste were reunited again.

Stendan was back.

* * *

And that's all folks!  
I really hope you enjoyed this story and my version of how Ste and Brendan got back together :P  
Thank you so much for reading!  
Please do review and let me know what you thought - it keeps me happy and writing :)  
I will be posting more Brendan/Ste fics very soon :)  
mnm37 x


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